INGREDIENTS

1 Very Large Saucepan!

Chosen meat. 1-2LB of Cubed Lamb, Beef, or Chicken.
1 or 2 Onions. Chopped
3 Large Carrots. Sliced
Small turnip. Cubed
1 Large Leek. Sliced
Handfull of petit pois
Handfull of Pearl Barley
Handful of Red Split Pea Lentils
Pinch of mixed Herbs
Seasoning
Stock Cubes 2-4
2 Cans of soup (If required)
Get one tablespoon of oil (If required).

Brown your meat off, Add your Onions,Mixed Herbs,Seasoning,Leeks,
Pearl Barley and Split Pea Lentils, then about 2 pints of water.
Bring to boil, then turn down to a medium/Low heat.

Keep check on the thickness, not forgetting to keep stirring.
And add water accordingly.
At this stage you want quite a thin liquid.
Add your Carrots,Petit Pois.
Allow to cook for at least 2 hours.
About 40 minutes towards the end of your chosen cooking time,
Add 1 Large Potato - cubed. or Canned New Potatoes.
(This is not a strict rule, Pototoes can go in at any time.)
Add your Dumplings if required.
(Dumplings need at least 20 minutes to cook.)
Can be a crucile time as the lid needs to be kept on the saucepan
whilst the dumplings cook.
This is when the pearl barley tends to stick to the bottom of the pan!
Can carefully stir to avoid breaking the dumplings!
Best to cook the Stew on a very low heat for 2-4 hours for best results.
Can be cooked in a Casserole dish, in the Oven.


Pearl Barley- Thickener, is a Must have ingredient! But is best soaked overnight as this contains alot of starch.

My husband cooks it with the stew but it needs at least 2 hours of cooking time, and constant stirring! and constant topping up with water or stock. as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.
or you can cook it seperately, then add later on.

Hope i have written it out, in a way you can understand it!

This Stew is a real hit in our house!
Delicious!!