Scotch Broth
A Highland soup that has warmed generations home from the hill: mutton or lamb simmered with pearl barley, root vegetables and a fistful of dried peas, into something rich enough to be a meal in its own right.
Ingredients
700 g lamb neck on the bone
2 litres cold water
100 g pearl barley, rinsed
100 g dried yellow split peas, soaked overnight
2 carrots, diced
1 leek, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 small swede, diced
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
Method
- 1
Put the lamb into a large pot with the water and bay leaf. Bring slowly to a simmer, skimming off the grey foam that rises. Season lightly.
- 2
Add the barley and drained split peas. Cover and simmer very gently for 90 minutes, until the lamb is falling from the bone.
- 3
Lift out the meat, shred it from the bone into rough pieces and return to the pot. Add the carrots, leek, onion and swede.
- 4
Cook uncovered for another 25–30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened around them.
- 5
Taste, adjust the seasoning and finish with a generous shower of chopped parsley. Serve with buttered oatcakes or bread.
Cook's notes
Scotch broth is always better on day two. Cool overnight, lift off any set fat, and reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen.