This is of course delicious at any time, the colder and wetter it is outside the better, but it is particularly good when you are tired or ill and need comforting nourishment. It is full of flavour and goodness and easy to eat and also very easy to make which is even better!
Quantities are completely flexible, don't worry too much about how much of everything goes in.
Chicken - any cut will do, but things with bones will give the most flavour - wings are good and very cheap, drumsticks also cheap but have a but more meat on and are less effort to eat, thighs obviously most meat-per-bone etc (I used 4 drumsticks for this batch)
1 onion
2 leeks
2 sticks celery
2 large carrots
2 small handfuls pearl barley
2 large handfuls mushrooms
pinch mixed herbs
pinch mixed herbs
stock cube (use low salt ones if you are sharing this with baby)
Heat a splash of oil in a hot pan and fry the chicken on a high heat until browned.
Meanwhile, wash the leeks and finely slice them and the onion.
On a low heat, add the onion and leeks to the pan with a splash of oil, put a lid on and leave to gently cook. Stir regularly.
Keep cooking and stirring until they are soft and turning golden and mushy. (Doesn't sound appealing, but tastes delicious, promise!)
Add a splash of sherry/vermouth/white wine if you have some.
(Hmm, I had to go and change Mathilda halfway through, so they sort of got slightly...caramelised...)
Finely slice the celery and chop the carrots into little cubes.
Add them to the leeks, along with the chicken, stock cube, barley, salt and pepper and herbs. (and the MUSHROOMS, which I managed to forget...oops)
Stir well and cover with water. (Up to you how much you add - depend on whether you want a broth with bits in or a thick stew with a little broth).
Simmer for about 40 minutes until the barley is soft.
The meat should by now be falling off the bones and since I was ill and fancied easy easting, I picked the meat off and tore it into flakes, then added it back to the stew. Now all you need to eat it is a bowl and a spoon! Mathilda loved it and scoffed a huge bowlful!
Serve as-is, or with mashed potato, bread or whip up a loaf of hot fresh soda bread (or a walnut and cranberry soda bread for something really interesting!)