Irish Stew

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp pearl barley
• 300ml lamb stock or water
• 1 fresh thyme sprig or ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 fresh parsley sprig
• Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 140g carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 large leek, washed, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces
• 4 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 small onions, quartered
• A handful of fresh parsley leaves, blanched and refreshed