Description
A hearty and traditional Scottish soup featuring a mix of barley, lentils, split peas, and fresh vegetables simmered slowly in flavorful lamb stock, finished with tender kale for a nourishing meal that’s perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth Mix
- 250g broth mix (or a mixture of 75g pearl barley, 75g yellow split peas, 50g red split lentils, and 50g green split or marrowfat peas)
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, washed and sliced
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped
- 200g kale, chopped
Liquids & Seasoning
- 3 litres lamb stock
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the Soup Mix: Rinse the broth mix thoroughly and soak it in cold water for 8 hours or overnight, keeping it covered in a cool place. After soaking, drain and rinse the mix well to prepare for cooking.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, sliced leek, turnip, carrots, and celery. Cover with a lid and fry gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften without browning. Season lightly with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Pour the lamb stock into the pan with the vegetables and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the soaked and drained soup mix to the pan. Partially cover the pan and let the soup simmer gently for about 1 hour, or until the barley and split peas are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Incorporate Kale: Once the grains and legumes are tender, season the soup again if necessary. Stir in the chopped kale and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the kale is tender and fully cooked through.
- Serve: Ladle the hot Scotch broth into bowls and serve immediately as a comforting, wholesome meal.
Notes
- Soaking the broth mix overnight reduces cooking time and improves digestion.
- You can use vegetable stock instead of lamb stock for a lighter variation.
- Kale can be substituted with other leafy greens like spinach or cabbage if preferred.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to ensure balanced flavors.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 10 mins plus 8 hours soaking
- Cook Time: 1 hr 25 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Scottish
Keywords: Scotch broth, traditional Scottish soup, barley soup, lentil soup, hearty soup, lamb stock soup, vegetable broth, kale soup
