Pearl barley with spinach and pork mince

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 150g/5½oz pork mince
• 200g/7oz pearl barley
• 120g/4oz spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ glass white wine
• 1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable stock
• handful of flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and pork and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and the pork browned.

2. Stir in the pearl barley and spinach and cook for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the white wine and allow to evaporate.

4. Now gradually add the stock ladle by ladle, waiting until each ladleful has been absorbed before you add the next. Continue until the pearl barley is cooked, about 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat, mix in the remaining oil and parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.