Cheats Scotch Broth or Scottish Root Minestrone

The snow is all gone, replaced by squally wet weather.  There was one day at the weekend that almost felt like Spring but now I feel it is Autumn again.  And that calls for soup.

I rediscovered pearl barley a week or so ago making Moroccan Tomato & Pearl Barley Soup and thought I would try my hand at a version of Scotch Broth last week, but the butcher's had nothing frugal enough to make lamb stock out of on the day I visited, so the soup had to wait until yesterday when I had been to the supermarket and bought lamb stock cubes.

Serves 4

1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
1 medium carrot
1 stick of celery
1 small leek (optional - I didn't have any yesterday but I felt it was missing something green!)
1/2 small swede
100g pearl barley
2 lamb stock cubes
Leftover roast lamb (optional)

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

In a small saucepan with a lid cover the scotch broth with about 5cm of boiling water and simmer covered for 30 minutes.  Some recipes I saw cooked the pearl barley in the broth for only 30 minutes but my packet of pearl barley said it needed 1 hour 15 minutes cooking time, plus it absorbs so much liquid I thought I would give the pearl barley a head start just in water and save my precious stock. If cooking the pearl barley in advance check on it every now and then to make sure it is not boiling dry!

Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry gently in a saucepan with the olive oil.  Dice the carrot, celery, swede, and finely chop the leek and add these when ready.  Toss in the oil, cover the pan again and leave to sweat over a low hat for 5 minutes.  Add 750ml just boiled water,  crumbled stock cubes, and the pearl barley and any cooking liquid left.  Simmer for 30 minutes with the lid off.  Check the seasoning and stir in the parsley if using.

I am thrilled to note on the pearl barley packet that it is low calorie for a carbohydrate.  So a hearty serving of this soup is only around 125cals.