Pearl Barley Bacon Leek Casserole Recipes

PEARL BARLEY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a 1 1/2-quart Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium heat and cook onion until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook until starting to soften, stirring often, about 5 more minutes. Mix barley into the vegetables and stir until coated with butter. Fold mushrooms and green pepper into barley mixture; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour chicken broth into barley mixture and bring to a boil; cover casserole dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until barley is nearly tender, about 30 minutes; uncover casserole dish and bake barley until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 more minutes. Adjust salt and black pepper before serving.

LEEK, POTATO, AND BACON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 325 degrees F.
• Butter an 8-by-8-inch square flameproof casserole dish. Halve the leeks lengthwise, and then cut them crosswise into half circles (There should be about 1 3/4 cups.). Put the cut leeks in the basket of a salad spinner, or a colander set in a bowl, and fill with water. Swish the leeks around to flush out any grit. Lift the basket from water--don't pour the water off or you will pour any grit right back over the leeks.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings, add the butter and leeks, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a small saucepan with the garlic, thyme, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and water, to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain. Discard the thyme and garlic and add potatoes to the leeks.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, then stir in the leek mixture, 1 cup of the cheese, the bacon, and nutmeg. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, cover with foil and bake until just set but still moist, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Position a rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese over the casserole and broil until the cheese browns, about 3 minutes. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Unmold or serve from baking dish.

SLOW-COOKED IRISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the slow cooker if necessary, then heat the oil in a frying pan. Sizzle the bacon until crisp, tip into the slow-cooker pot, then brown the chunks of lamb in the pan. Transfer to the slow-cooker pot along with the thyme, onions, carrots, potatoes, stock, bay leaves and enough water to cover the lamb. Cover and cook on Low for 7 hrs.
• Stir in the pearl barley and leek, and cook on High for 1 hr more until the pearl barley is tender.
• Stir in the butter, season and serve scooped straight from the dish.