Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
• 2 beetroot (beets), peeled and diced
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, unpeeled, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 100 g (½ cup) cracked farro (see tip) or pearl barley
• 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or  chicken stock
• 150 g (5½ oz/2 cups) finely shredded white or red cabbage
• Sour cream, to serve
• Dill sprigs, to garnish

 Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium–low heat. Sauté the leek, beetroot, parsnip, carrot, bay leaves, garlic and caraway seeds for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the farro and stock. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the farro  is nearly tender.

3. Add the cabbage and a little extra water, if necessary. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, or until the vegetables and farro are tender. Season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Serve with a swirl of sour cream, garnished with dill.

*Farro is an ancient, highly nutritious wheat grain that has fed the people of the Near East and the Mediterranean for thousands of years. Cracked farro will cook more quickly than whole grains; if you only have whole farro grains, soak them overnight for quicker

Recipes from Low & Slow: Comfort Food for Cold Nights by Louise Franc. Published by Smith Street Books. RRP 39.99.