Scotch broth

Name: Scotch broth
Yield: To serve six
Cuisine: Northern Europe
Ingredients: 900 g (2 lb) lean stewing cuts of beef or lamb; 900 g (2 lb) lean stewing cuts of beef or lamb; 900 g (2 lb) lean stewing cuts of beef or lamb; 2.3 litres (4 pints) water or beef stock cube; 2.3 litres (4 pints) water or beef stock cube; 50 g (2 oz) pearl barley soaked for 1-2 hours; 50 g (2 oz) dried peas, soaked overnight; 2 large leeks; 2 large carrots; 1 small turnip; ½ green cabbage; salt and freshly ground pepper; salt and freshly ground pepper; grating of nutmeg; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preparation info

To serve
six

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

British Cooking

By Caroline Conran

Published 1978

About

The traditional way to serve Scotch broth was to offer a bowl of broth, clear and plain, as the first course, and follow it with a dish of meat and vegetables. If you follow this tradition use a better piece of meat such as topside or brisket if using beef - shoulder or best end of neck if using lamb.

Ingredients

900 g (2 lb) lean stewing cuts of beef or lamb
2.3 litres

Europe
United Kingdom
Starter
Soup

Method

Trim the meat, put it into a large saucepan with the soaked peas and pearl barley and cover with 2.3 litres (4 pints) of cold water. Bring it slowly to the boil and skim carefully as the scum rises.

Let it simmer while you pare and slice the vegetables, then throw them all except the cabbage into the broth. Cover the pan and allow to simmer very slowly for 2½ hours. Add the shredded cab