Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 qt chicken stock (homemade or store-bought) + 2 cups water
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I like cremini or portobello)
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a Dutch oven, brown the lamb in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Drain off the fat, and return the lamb to the pot. Add onion and carrots, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Stir in the thyme, and after 30 seconds, add the barley, stock and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
Add the sliced mushrooms, plus 2 additional cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are cooked through. Taste, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. (If you've used store-bought stock, you might not need any salt.)
Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze.