Nigel Slater's Recipe for Pearl Barley Basil Mushrooms

Prepare vegetable stock by pouring 500ml boiling water from the kettle over 1 tbsp dried mushrooms. Bring a large pot of water to the boil then pour in 250g of pearl barley and bring back to the boil. Lower the heat to low and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the grains are tender. They should always have a pleasantly chewy quality. Drain and set aside.

Peel and roughly chop a medium-sized onion. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish or high-sided sauté pan. Stir in the onion and let soften over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. After 20-25 minutes it should be pale golden. Peel and crush 2 cloves of garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes.

Thinly chop 600g of assorted mushrooms (cut them into firm and soft depending on the varieties you are using) . Add the mushrooms and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown, adding a little oil if necessary. Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato purée, cook for 2 minutes, then stir in 1 heaping tablespoon of plain flour.

Add the dried mushrooms and their soaking water and bring to a boil then lower the heat, season with salt, black pepper and ½ teaspoon of dried chili flakes.

Stir in the cooked barley and continue cooking for 7 to 8 minutes. Tear a handful of basil leaves. Add the basil and the fragile mushrooms that you have kept aside. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon and add it little by little, tasting as you go. Serve in shallow bowls. Enough for 4

Dried porcini mushrooms are expensive but you can buy bags of mixed dried mushrooms - often broken pieces - at a reasonable price. Their deep umami goes a long way; you only need a tablespoon of dried mushrooms to make 500ml of a rich, woody broth.

Wheat berries would be a good substitute for barley, but they take longer to cook - around 40 minutes.

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