Watch Neven's Christmas Menu on Wednesday, December 9th at 7.30pm on RTÉ One.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 450g (1lb) Quality Assured diced lamb shoulder
- 100g (4oz) Quality Assured smoked streaky bacon lardons
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 carrots, cut into big chunks
- 1 small turnip, cut into chunks
- 3 potatoes, cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 x 400g chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric powder
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken stock (from a cube is fine) or water
- 100g (2oz) pearl barley
- 1 leek, trimmed and sliced
- knob of butter
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C / Gas mark 3.
- Heat a large heavy based casserole pot over a medium heat. Heat the oil, add the lamb and brown all over, turning regularly. Do this in batches depending on the size of the casserole pot. Add the bacon and sauté for a few minutes, until sizzling.
- Add the onion, carrots, turnip, potatoes, bay leaves, chopped tomatoes, curry powder, turmeric, thyme, pearl barley and enough of the stock or water to just cover. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour 45 minutes. Add in the sliced leek, stir through and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes, until the pearl barley is tender.
- Stir in the butter just before serving, then ladle into warmed bowls and add a good grinding of black pepper to serve.
Note: This recipe can also be cooked in a slow cooker. Preheat your slow cooker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your slow cooker has a sauté option, you can use this; if not, use a sauté pan on the hob to brown the lamb & bacon. Cook on a low setting for 6 hours, reserving the pearl barley & leak. After 6 hours add in the barley & leak and cook for a further 2 hours.
