Scotch Broth is a filling, hearty soup usually comprising lamb, root vegetables such as carrot, turnip and swede, and pearl barley; although the different recipes and combinations are endless!
Lamb can be expensive but this recipe uses a cheaper cut called ‘scrag end’ - you can ask for it at your local butchers. The long slow cooking is really important for this soup - and it’s so worth the wait!
Skills Check
Follow a recipe; follow food safety and hygiene rules; tidy away; use measuring spoons; use a jug to measure liquids; use weighing scales; cut using bridge/claw technique safely; use the hob (with adult supervision); season to taste
Allergens
Barley | Gluten | Celery
(Please note the allergens listed are indicative only. Allergens vary depending on brand; check the labels on the products you use.)
Equipment
Chopping board, knife, garlic press, large saucepan, measuring jug, wooden spoon, bowl, fork.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 750g scrag end of lamb, on the bone
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 stick of celery, sliced
- 1/2 small swede, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 40g pearl barley, rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 1 bouquet garni
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Add the oil to a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add all of the prepared vegetables and garlic and sweat for 10 minutes until softened.
- Turn the heat up and add the lamb, pearl barley and 2 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil, add the bouquet garni and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper.
- Simmer for a minimum of 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bones, and then remove from the heat.
- Lift the lamb out of the pan and take the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and return the meat to the broth.
- Reheat the broth, taste and season further if desired.
So thinking about Scotch Broth...
Lamb is an excellent source of protein and B vitamins, particularly B12, as well as a range of minerals such as iron and zinc.
Vegetables are so good for us! Low in fat, sugar and calories and high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Pearl Barley is a nutritious grain. Although it does not count as a whole grain (as the outer bran layer is removed) it is still high in fibre, and rich in minerals.
Nutritional Information
| Energy | 1099kJ/263kcal | 13% | |
| Low | Fat | 15.0g | 21% |
| Low | Saturates | 5.6g | 28% |
| Low | Sugars | 2.6g | 3% |
| Low | Salt | 0.13g | 2% |
per 529g serving
% of an adult's reference intake
Typical values per 100g: Energy 208kJ / 50kcal
Notes
A traffic light system is used on nutrition labels to make it easier to see which foods and drinks are lower in calories, fat, sugar and salt. Try and choose more ‘greens’ and ‘ambers’ and fewer ‘reds’, and stick to smaller portions of ‘reds’.
Just because a recipe or a food has a red traffic light doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat it. Understanding why a food or recipe might have a red light can be helpful. For example oily fish is high in total fat and so any recipe containing oily fish is likely to be ‘red’ for fat. But it is recommended that we eat oily fish at least once a week because the type of fat it contains is beneficial for our health.
% Reference Intakes are also shown. Reference Intakes are guidelines about the approximate amount of particular nutrients and energy required for a healthy diet (based on an average-sized woman doing an average amount of physical activity). Most children will require less than these Reference Intakes. The contribution of one serving of a food or drink to the Reference Intake for each nutrient is expressed as a percentage.
