This glorious vegetarian Japanese inspired meal is suited to the cooler months. It is absolutely lovely. The stock quantity makes three times what you will need, but it freezes wonderfully. Given that it takes time and uses the oven for a while, it is worth making the larger quantity. You’ll need two small ramekin dishes to cook the confit yolks.

For the stock:

6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

6 sprigs fresh thyme

6 medium carrots, peeled cut into 2.5cm pieces

4 medium celery sticks, cut into 2.5 cm pieces

300g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

2 tbsp groundnut oil

2 large bay leaves

100 ml dry white wine

10g dried shitake (or other) mushrooms

Soy sauce and salt and pepper to season

The confit eggs:

2 very fresh egg yolks

Salt and pepper

Truffle oil (optional)

4-5 tbsp light olive oil

The barley:

80 g pearled barley, well rinsed

2 tbsp white miso paste

To serve:

125g shitake mushrooms, de-stalked and cut into thin slices

(vegan) butter or light oil to fry

To make the stock:

• Heat the oven to 200C. In a large roasting pan, toss the herbs, carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions with the oil and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread into a snug single layer. Roast, stirring twice, until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots, for about 40 minutes. Turn the oven off, but keep the door shut

• Transfer everything to a stock pan or large wok, add 2 litres cold water and the bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Add the wine and dried mushrooms and simmer for 20 -30 until the broth is reduced to 1500ml and has a full vegetable/mushroom flavour. Strain the broth through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing gently on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Season well with salt, pepper and a few drops of soy sauce

For the confit eggs:

• An hour before you want to eat. (Re)-heat the oven to 55C. Put the egg yolks into each ramekin, season well and surround with several drop of truffle oil (if using) then drizzle with olive oil, making sure that it fully covers the yolk. Pop on a baking tray and cook for 55 minutes

For the barley:

• Meanwhile, put the rinsed barley in a small saucepan, stir in the miso paste and pour over enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then gently simmer with a lid on for 45 minutes or until al dente. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. Turn off the heat, and keep the lid on.

To serve:

• Warm through the stock

• Fry the shitake mushrooms in butter/oil until cooked through 3-4 minutes. Season well

• Remove the eggs from the oven

• Remove the barley from the pan with a slotted spoon

• Set up two deep bowls, add half of barley and a few ladles of the stock, and top with the fried mushrooms. Finally crown with the confit egg and serve immediately. Top up with stock if needs be. Serve immediately