Ingredients
- 1 1⁄4 cups pearl barley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 butternut squash or large wedge of similar winter squash
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp small thyme sprigs, divided
- 1 to 2 pinches dried hot pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 2 to 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 4 leeks, thickly sliced
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, sliced
- 2 carrots, coarsely shredded
- 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- Handful of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 Tbsp lightly toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
- 6 to 8 oz Taleggio or Fontina cheese, thinly sliced