Barley groats casserole with ham, leek and peppers

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g barley groats
• 750 ml water
• 200 ml cream
• 30 g butter
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 tsp marjoram leaves
• 3 bell peppers, red, green and orange
• 2 stalk(s) leeks
• 200 g sour cream
• 3 eggs
• Sea salt
• 300 g cooked ham
• 300 g Cheddar, grated
• 25 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Bring the barley groats to a boil in the water and cream mixture and let it swell over low heat. This can take 20-30 minutes in total. If you pre-cook the barley groats (e.g., the day before), let them cool, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. You may want to fluff the groats with a fork while you do this. Dice the onions and finely chop the vegetables. The vegetables should already be 500g. Briefly sauté the bell peppers or add them raw to the grain mixture to keep them crisper. Make a glaze from the eggs, sour cream, and sea salt. Fold the glaze into the fluffed barley, then fold in the vegetable mixture and ham. Layer the vegetable and grain mixture alternately with the grated Cheddar cheese in the casserole dish. Top with a little Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with knobs of butter on top. Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes at 180°C to 200°C. This dish is very filling. Serve with a green salad. Tips: Instead of marjoram, you can also use a blend of herbs that complements the vegetables, such as Provençal herbs. If using milk instead of cream, reduce the amount of water slightly. If the cooked barley groats seem too much, reduce a portion and make a breakfast version for the next day: sweet barley groats with raisins and fruit. Cook once, eat twice.