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Lamb & Barley Broth |
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This is the inspiration for this recipe:
http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/lamb-and-barley-broth
My sister loves recipes, food, taste and sometimes she reads a recipe and thinks "Hey! Frillypants could do this one!!" Sister made it for my Failsafer when she went for a sleepover. I tend to stick to the recipe, with the necessary FS amendments (eg spring onions for onions; Canola oil) but last night I 'beefed' it up a little with some potato. It became a little Irish Stew-ish I suppose. I'm thinking that Failsafe eating is easier in Winter with the nourishing one-pot stews and so on.
Ingredients:
- 750g - 1 kilo diced lamb
- 100g pearl barley (or buckwheat for gluten-free)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 litres cold water (2.5 if you want it more brothy) (or homemade vege stock)
- 2 leeks, finely quartered and sliced
- 2-3 Spring onions
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 1 swede, finely diced
- 200g savoy cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 tab parsley leaves, finely chopped
Method:
- In a large, heavy pot, combine lamb, barley, salt and water
- Slowly bring to the boil, skimming of the froth as it accumulates on top
- Cover and gently simmer for 1 hour
- Clean up kitchen and then chop vegies (this is more a note for myself)
- Add the vegies and simmer for another hour
- Add parsley in last minutes, stir through.
- Serve on a bed of rice or with steamed veg.
Verdict: 'Nom nom nom nom' is all I heard at the dinner table. Then I heard 'Is there more?'
I feel so extraordinarily relieved when this is how it goes. Incredible how much my personal happiness relies on dinner going well.
Tweaks: This was originally a soup, albeit a very substantial soup. It has swede and cabbage in it which would go beautifully in this stew. Unfortunately I didn't have swede and I ran out of room in the pot anyway. The leftovers have gone into the freezer and will feed the whole family again if I add rice and veg. Hmmm, maybe even pasta??
Tweeks: 25/02/11 Today I am sick with a cold *pouts* and my FACE is killing me. I don't normally get colds. I am known in these parts as "Last Man Standing". So, having defrosted some diced lamb I had to cook it and I was after something nourishing and comforting. But when I looked in the pantry,, NO BARLEY. Not even soup mix. So... I washed some green and red lentils and chucked them in.
Essentially, I am saying that this recipe is sooooo easy to change around. I chucked it all in the cast-iron pot at about 10am, no pre-cooking; just threw it in, covered it with ample water and put it in the oven at approx 160degC until we came home from the last Milo Cricket session for Ms C&D at about 6:30pm. (They got certificates and medals! They were thrilled!!! The cricket assoc sure knows the way to a kid's heart... medals! Maybe I should start awarding them. On the other hand.... maybe not.)