Beef & Barley

Well we're finally into Autumn and the chill factor has been cranked up. We had a fabulous summer and a bonus warm sunny start to October so there can be no complaining about the temperature change. It's time to get the winter clothes out. Dust down the coats and knee high boots and find those gloves and hats. I'm looking forward to the seasonal changes in colour, light and mood. Out comes the Le Creuset pots and favourite stew recipes. Doesn't everyone love to come in out of the cold to a hot steaming bowl of stew this time of year?

This particular one was borne out of whatever there was in the cupboard before the big weekly shop. Normally any stew would start with carrots, celery and onions. However I ran out of everything but onions so I decided to try this and it was awesome! Of course it took 3 hours to get the beef really tender so it's a recipe for a lazy Sunday if you are working unless you have a slow cooker that can be left on during the working day.

Ingredients:

2 packs of diced stewing beef - washed and drained, sprinkled with 1 tsp of flour, a pinch of salt and a good few grinds of black peppercorn

4/5 onions sliced

2 cloves of garlic crushed

1/2 a red chilli in strips [optional]

5/6 anchovies chopped

3 tbs of tomato puree

Chicken stock 2 pints

1/2 a cup of pearl barley [ideally soaked for 30 min to an hour - drain and rinse after soaking]

Potatoes - [optional] peeled and chunks in roughly equal sizes

Parsley for garnish [optional]

Method:

1. Fry the onions in olive oil on a low heat for 30min until caramelised

2. Add the anchovies, chilli, crushed garlic and soften for a couple of minutes

3. Take the mixture out and fry the beef for a few minutes 

4. Add the puree and fry for a couple of minutes

5. Add the onions back in along with the stock & pearl barley, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze the pot

6. Cover and pop into the oven for 3 hours at 150 - 160 degrees C, checking now and again to make sure there is enough liquid [add water if it's drying out]

7. Add potatoes 30-40 min before cooking time is over if you are using them

8. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed then sprinkle with chopped parsley if you have some!

You can serve this with mash instead of putting the potatoes in with the stew. If that seems a little too carb heavy just go for some steamed green crunchy veg on the side.

Nutrition: Check out http://whfoods.org

Pearl Barley

This is a barley grain that has had the hull removed and polished - it is not considered as a whole grain but is thought to be just as good for you because it is high in fibre and high in protein. It has a sticky pasta like quality when cooked and a little goes a long way. Just a handful in a soup or stew will thicken and bulk out the meal. It's slippery consistency makes it ideal for getting an extra texture into a hearty broth. 

Barley is very good at looking after your guts and making you regular. The dietary fibre it provides keeps you fuller for longer, stabilises blood sugar levels and helps reduce cholesterol. It is high in beta glucans and niacin, a B vitamin which also protects against cardiovascular risk factors. So it's good for your heart as well as your bowels. It is thought to reduce risk of Type 2 Diabetes and prevent gall stones. So overall a very good alternative grain to try out if you are bored with the usual lot!