Ingredients
75 g barley
butter to steam
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove
50 g raw ham (any other bacon or ham works just fine too), finely diced
1.25 l water
250 g Pumpkin (pumpkin that you can cook without falling apart), small dices
1dl heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste (chicken stock also goes very well)
finely chopped chives to garnish
Preparation
Roast the barely lightly in the butter, add onions, spices, and the raw ham, and roast for a bit as well. When the aroma is enhanced, put it in the water and bring it to a boil.
When the barley is about halfway done you can add the pumpkin (test the barley and if it's still slightly chewy you add the pumpkin, if you use a delicate one like butternut only add it at the very least 5-10 min!).
Once you reach the desired softness of the barley and pumpkin turn off the heat and add the cream (don't add it in if the pot is still boiling).
Adjust the seasoning to your liking and serve it.
Top the bowls off with some chopped chives to give it an extra fresh taste.