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Preparation time
less than 30 mins
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Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
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Serves
Serves 4
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Dietary
Vegetarian
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Ingredients
- 100g/3½oz pearl barley or pearled spelt
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 250g/9oz shallots or baby onions, peeled and cut in half
- 300g/10½oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed
- 400g/14oz parsnips, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm/1in chunks
- 150g/5½oz cooked, peeled chestnuts
- 150ml/5fl oz medium-dry cider
- 2 bay leaves, torn
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 750ml/26fl oz hot vegetable stock
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sprout top pesto
- leafy tops from 1–2 Brussels sprout stems
- ½ garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
- 25g/1oz walnuts or pumpkin seeds
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Put the pearl barley into a large bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
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Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the shallots, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, chestnuts, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until you get a golden-brown colour on the vegetables.
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Add the cider and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it, until the liquid has reduced to almost nothing.
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Drain the pearl barley and rinse well. Add to the casserole dish with the bay leaves, thyme and stock. Stir well, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35–40 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Check the seasoning.
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Meanwhile, to make the pesto, strip any tough stalks from the Brussels leaves. Roughly shred or chop the leaves and place into a food processor. Add the garlic, walnuts or pumpkin seeds and some salt and pepper. Blend until finely chopped, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.
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Add a squeeze of lemon juice and slowly trickle in the oil, whilst the processor is on. Stop when the ingredients have formed a coarse pesto – it’s nicest if it’s still a bit leafy and textured, rather than a smooth puree. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Place into a bowl and finish with a few fine gratings of lemon zest.
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To serve, spoon the hotpot into warmed bowls and top with the sprout top pesto.