Scotch Broth

Total Comfort Soup for a Snowy Winter Day
featuring Leyden Glen Lamb raised on the Hills of Leyden, MA

2 pounds lamb stew meat or shoulder chops
2 leeks – white part only sliced thin
1 onion
2 sticks celery
2 large potatoes or 4 small
2 small turnips
3 – 4 carrots
1/ 2 cup pearl barley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
 

Brown the stew meat in a large soup pot. Dice the onion and add it to the meat in pan. Slice and chop the leek into small slices. Add to the meat and onions. Chop the celery and add to the browning meat mixture. While meat mixture is browning, peel the turnips (if needed), carrots, and potatoes. Chop turnips, carrots and potatoes into all the same size cubes (about 1/ 2 to 3/ 4”).
 

Once the meat is thoroughly browned, cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, then lower immediately to a simmer. After five minutes, add the barley, root veggies, herbs and salt and pepper.
 

Cover and cook until barley is tender - about 45 minutes. Remove bones from shoulder chops if necessary. Serve immediately. This soup, as with most, will taste better the second day. It will be necessary to add some water when re-heating as the barley will swell.