Baked Sweet Potato

PREPARATION TIME
8 mins

COOKING TIME
60 mins

AGE GROUP
12 – 36 months

INGREDIENTS
1 medium-sized sweet potato
1 tablespoon of butter
¼ cup of hulled (or pearled) barley
2 tablespoons of peeled, chopped onion
2 tablespoons of peeled, grated carrot
2 tablespoons of trimmed and finely chopped celery
¾ cup of low-salt or salt-free vegetable stock
1 small pinch of dried thyme

METHOD
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C (375F)

2. Heat the butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium heat and add the barley and vegetables – stirring to coat them with butter – then stir/fry until the barley and onion are light brown.

3. Add the thyme and the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and cook very gently (for 1¼ – 1½ hours if using hulled barley, or 40-50 minutes if using pearled barley) – until the liquid has been absorbed and the barley is soft.

4. While the barley is cooking, prick the skin of the sweet potato a few times with a fork then bake it in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it is soft.

5. Remove the potato from the oven, cut it in half lengthways (use a cloth to hold it), scoop out the flesh and combine it with the barley and vegetables.

6. Mix thoroughly or mash up with a fork.

7. Allow to cool well, before chopping and serving.

HANDY HINTS

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