• 1½ lb. neck of mutton or 1 lb. knuckle of mutton
• 1 qt. water
• 1 teasp. salt and pepper
• 1 tablesp. pearl barley
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion or leek
• 1 small turnip
• 1 stick of celery
• chopped parsley

Wash the meat and remove all fat. Put the meat with the bones, water and salt into a stew pan and bring very slowly to simmering point. Blanch the barley by covering it with cold water in a small pan, bringing it just to boiling point, straining and rinsing it. Add barley to the pan and simmer all for 2 hr. Lift meat from broth, remove bones, cut meat into ¼-in. cubes and return to broth. If possible, let broth cool and remove the fat from the top: otherwise skim very thoroughly and draw pieces of absorbent paper over the top till it is free from fat. Scrub, peel and cut the vegetables into ¼-in. dice. Add them to the simmering broth and cook for 1 hr. longer.

Season the broth to taste and add 1 tablesp. chopped parsley before serving.