Country Pork and Parsley Cobbler

As we're heading towards autumn again I started to go through my 'Winter Warmers' recipes and thought I should share this one, a warming casserole dish and one pot meal. I found the recipe some time ago in a low cholesterol and low fat cookbook. I usually leave out the celery and add more leek and carrots instead, as I don't like celery. (UK tomato puree = US tomato paste, swede = rutabega and you can use sour cream or creme fraiche instead of the fromage frais, if you can't get any.)

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb boneless pork shoulder, diced
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 1  small swede, diced
• 2  carrots, sliced
• 2  leeks, sliced
• 2  stalks celery, sliced
• 3 2⁄3 cups  boiling  beef stock
• 2  tablespoons tomato puree
• 2  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup pearl barley
•  salt, to taste
•  black pepper, to taste

• Cobbler Topping

• 5  ounces plain flour
• 6  tablespoons  low fat fromage frais
• 3  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
•  salt, to taste
•  black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet, heat the oil and fry the pork until lightly browned.
2. Add the vegetables and stir over a medium heat until they start to color lightly.
3. Pour into a large casserole dish and add the stock, tomato puree, parsley and pearl barley.
4. Mix well.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cover and place in a preheated oven (180 C/350 F/Gas 4) for about 1-1 1/4 hour, until the vegetables and pork are tender.
7. For the Cobbler topping, sift the flour and baking powder with seasoning into a large bowl.
8. Stir in the fromage frais and the chopped parsley.
9. Add enough cold water to mix a soft but not sticky dough.
10. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it's about 1cm thick.
11. Cut dough into 12-16 triangles.
12. take the casserole out of the oven and raise the temperature to 220 C/425 F/Gas 7.
13. Top the casserole with the dough triangles, making sure the edges overlap.
14. Bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until the dough has risen and has turned golden.