Ingredients
- 80g butter
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 small leek, sliced
- 125g packet smoked bacon lardons
- 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
- Some fresh thyme and bay leaf
- 800g mixed root vegetables, such as carrot, parsnip, turnip, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke, potatoes
- 50g barley
- 1l chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper
- FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM:
- 150ml cream
- 1tsp horseradish sauce
- 1tbs chopped chives
1 Put the butter in a pot with the onion, leek, bacon, ginger, thyme and bay.
2 Cover and cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes.
3 Meanwhile peel and cut your chosen vegetables into bite-size even pieces, then add to the pot along with the barley.
4 Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, until everything starts to soften.
5 Add the stock, then bring to a simmer.
6 Cook for 15 minutes or so, but don’t let the vegetables go mushy, then season with salt and pepper.
7 For the horseradish cream, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the horseradish and chives.
8 Serve the soup with a spoonful of the horseradish cream floating on top.