Scotch broth
A soup for cold, rainy days, made in Scottish homes for generations. Lamb on the bone cooked with pearl barley, split peas, carrot, swede and leek — a thick, filling soup, almost a one-pot meal. The barley thickens the broth and the lamb gives it a deep, slightly sweet flavour. The vegetables are cut into small dice so every spoonful has a bit of everything. It is best the next day.
Your own work in that: 15 min.
- Soaking the peas 120 min
- Cooking the lamb 60 min
- Barley and peas 30 min
- Vegetables 30 min
- Returning the meat 15 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneSoak the peas
Cover the split peas with cold water and leave 2 hours.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Simmer the lamb
Put the meat in a large pot, cover with 2 litres of cold water and bring to the boil, skimming off the scum. Then simmer with the lid ajar — an hour in total.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Skim the scum — the broth stays clear.Add barley and peas
Rinse the barley in a sieve. Add it to the pot with the drained peas and simmer 30 minutes.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
The barley thickens the broth.Dice the vegetables
Meanwhile cut the carrots, swede and onion into 1 cm dice and the leek into half-moons.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Add the vegetables
Add the vegetables, salt and simmer another 30 minutes, until everything is tender. If the soup gets too thick, add a little boiling water.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Small dice — a bit of everything in each spoonful.Take off the meat
Lift out the lamb and keep the soup on a very low heat. Take the meat off the bones, discard fat and gristle and cut the meat into small pieces.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Return the meat
Put the meat back into the soup, skim the fat from the surface with a spoon and simmer together 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Serve
Scatter with chopped parsley and serve hot, with bread and butter.
Ingredients: 600 g lamb neck or shoulder on the bone · 2000 ml water · 50 g dried split peas · 80 g pearl barley · 2 pcs carrots · 200 g swede or turnip · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs onion · 2 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper · ½ bunch parsley
Before you start
Broth mix
In the UK a ready broth mix is sold — pearl barley, split peas and red lentils. You can add 30 g of red lentils with the barley.
With beef
Instead of lamb you can use beef short ribs or shin on the bone. Beef needs longer: simmer it for about 2 hours before adding the barley. The flavour is less sweet but just as deep.
Storage
The soup keeps 3 days in the fridge and is even better the next day. The fat sets on top — easy to lift off before reheating.
