I love one pot meals. Not just because it means less washing up, but because generally they don’t require too much input. Technically this also needs a baking tray but I won’t tell if you don’t. This dish has a risotto feel about it however it’s a bit less labour intensive as you add the liquid all at once. It also has a different texture to risotto rice which makes it a tasty alternative.
I used sausages however you could use a meat of your choice or leave it out for a meat free meal. It would be a great way to use up leftover roast meat. The sausages I like to use are Tesco’s Organic Free Range Pork (see picture at bottom). They are dairy, egg, nut and soya free. They also are free from sodium metabisulphite which is also an allergen. However they do contain wheat.
Ingredients
Olive oil
6/8 sausages
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, finely sliced
200g pearl barley, rinsed
400g chopped tomatoes (1 tin)
300ml hot stock/ hot water (I use very low salt chicken Kallo stock cubes)
A couple of tsp of thyme and rosemary
A large handful of sliced greens (you could use cabbage or kale)
Method
1. Pre heat the oven to 200c. In a large pan heat the oil over a medium heat, then brown the sausages all over. Remove the sausages and place on a baking tray and pop into the oven to cook through.
2. In the same pan add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook until soft for 5-10 minutes.
3. Once the veg is soft add the pearl barley and stir to coat in the vegetables. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, hot stock and the herbs. Bring to the boil, then stir, reduce the heat and cover. Leave to cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Add some more hot stock/ water if the barley starts to stick.
4. Ten minutes before the end of cooking add the sliced greens to the pan and remove the sausages from the oven. I slice the sausages into rounds and add them to the barley but you could leave them whole.
5. Serve in bowls with warm, crusty bread.
Important bits
Dairy, egg, nut and soya free
Makes 3 adult portions and a toddler portion
Total make time one hour
Freezable
Published by