• 1½ oz. cream of barley or patent barley
• ½ pt. milk
• 1 qt. well-flavoured stock
• 1 oz. butter or margarine
• ½ teasp. yeast or meat extract (if needed)
• salt and pepper
• grated nutmeg

Blend the barley with the milk. Boil the stock with the fat and the yeast or meat extract, stir it into the barley and milk, return all to the pan and simmer until the barley thickens and becomes clear. Stir all the time as the barley easily forms lumps. Season very carefully, adding the merest trace of nutmeg.

Serve with croûtons of fried bread, handed separately.