Peel and finely chop the onions. Trim the roots and any woody greens off the leeks. Halve, rinse and finely slice them. Fill and boil your kettle.

Warm a large pan on a medium heat for 1 min, then drizzle in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onions and leeks and fry for 8 mins till softened.

Tip the pearl barley into the pan and stir in 1 tbsp Spanish seasoning. Tip in the tin of chopped tomatoes and pour in 1 ltr hot water from the kettle. Crumble in the stock cube and give everything a good stir. Bring up to a bubble then pop a lid on the pan and simmer for 35 mins. Stir every now and then. If it’s looking a little dry, add a splash more water and turn the heat down.

While the pearl barley is cooking, give the spinach a good rinse with cold water. Trim off any dry ends, then finely chop the spinach leaves and stalks. Trim the dry ends from the purple sprouting broccoli. Thinly slice the stalks and roughly chop the purple florets.

When the barley has cooked for 35 mins and the grains are tender, stir in the spinach and broccoli. Cook, with the lid off, for 6 mins till the broccoli and spinach are tender.

Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley leaves and stalks. Taste the pearl barley stew and add some salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Serve the stew in warm bowls, garnished with the parsley.