Lilly Higgins: the perfect stew for flirting with veganism

Each January I flirt with the idea of going vegan. Veganuary is a growing movement and can be an enjoyable way to shake things up in the kitchen. It sounds so clean and nutritious after the rich foods we’ve been eating all winter. It’s too extreme for me, though, mostly because I always find it hard to completely cut out butter, milk and cheese.

Ireland has exceptional dairy produce and there’s nothing like a pint of raw milk, cream heavy on top, to lure me back to the buttery side. So I’m happy to stay as a “flexitarian”, eating mostly vegetarian meals but having some gorgeous fish or local meat whenever I feel like it.

There’s great freedom in not feeling guilty about food choices or having to defend the fact that I’m cooking lamb chops for dinner. It’s up to us all as individuals to eat responsibly. I like the fact that buying a locally reared chicken or some freshly caught fish at the market means I’m supporting the local community.

That being said, I am constantly trying to introduce more vegetables into my children’s diet. They squabble over who gets the chicken legs but are slow to snap up the last of the nutmeg-kissed turnip mash or the carrot sticks glazed in honey and butter. They will eat them – but at a push.

Picky eaters

Apparently picky eating peaks at the age of six. All three are under five at the moment so I have one more year to cram as many vegetables as I can into their meals. This barley stew is one dish that goes down surprisingly well especially with a swirl of pesto and a generous amount of parmesan stirred through.

I remember as a child loving the texture of the barley in my mother’s beef stews. Barley ticks so many boxes. It’s nourishing, delicious and cheap. Its distinctive texture and nutty flavour make it ideal for soups and stews but it’s also perfect in place of rice in risotto or as a base for a salad. Just toss it in dressing while still warm and leave to cool before adding herbs or leaves. It absorbs flavours really well too. I often add turmeric, spices or ginger to the cooking water.

I’ve chosen a selection of vegetables for this but you can basically add whatever you want. Choose as many different colours as you can to make the resulting dish more attractive to eat for young diners. The stew itself is vegan and delicious served as it is but I sometimes like to add some chopped chillies and finish with a scattering of coriander and a dollop of yogurt. It’s an extremely versatile recipe that can be tweaked to your liking. As mentioned, a swirl of pesto or a handful of fresh herbs stirred through it is delicious too.

Pearl barley and black bean stew

Serves 6

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

300g pearl barley

1 tin chopped tomatoes

2 carrots, diced

3 celery sticks, diced

1 corn on the cob, corn shaved off

1 x 400g tin black beans, cooked

Salt & black pepper

1 ½ litres stock or water

15g coriander, roughly chopped

METHOD

Add a little olive oil to a large pan. Sauté the onion and garlic till soft. Add the

cumin and paprika and leave to cook for a minute or so before adding the remaining ingredients except for the coriander and beans. Bring to the boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Leave to simmer for twenty minutes or until the barley and vegetables are cooked through.Add the beans and simmer for a further five minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve in wide bowls scattered with coriander.