Irish stew - Good Food Middle East

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 200g smoked streaky bacon, preferably in one piece, skinned and cut into chunks
• 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
• 5 medium onions, sliced
• 5 carrots, sliced into chunks
• 3 bay leaves
• small bunch thyme
• 100g pearl barley
• 850ml lamb stock
• 6 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• small knob of butter
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced