Preparation

Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and leek and cook gently for about 10 minutes.
Now add the carrots, celery, celeriac, bay leaf and speck or bacon and turn the heat to medium. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add the stock, barley and potatoes and simmer gently for about 1 hour. Taste for salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, add the cream and serve.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 leek, washed well and finely chopped
  • 2–3 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 1–2 stalks celery, finely diced
  • ½ small celeriac, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 150 g (5 oz) smoked speck or bacon, diced
  • 2 litres (3 pints 8 fl oz) good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
  • 100 g (3½ oz) pearl barley
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 20 g (¾ oz) unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 200 ml (7 fl oz) cream