Beef & barley brö
Ingredients
- 250 gbraising beef fat trimmed away and meat cut into small cubes
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 200 g swede diced
- 150 g carrot diced
- 100 g pearl barley
- 2 litres beef stock
- 2 teaspoons dry English mustard optional
- salt and pepper
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the beef and onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until the beef is browned and the onion just beginning to colour.
- Stir in the diced vegetables, pearl barley, stock and mustard, if using. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1¾ hours, stirring occasionally until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. Serve with warm potato bannocks or farls.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
For lamb & barley hotchpot, substitute the beef for 250 g (8 oz) diced lamb fillet and fry with the onion as above. Add the sliced white part of 1 leek, 175 g (6 oz) each of diced swede, carrot and potato, then mix in 50 g (2 oz) pearl barley, 2 litres (3½ pints) lamb stock, 2–3 sprigs of rosemary and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 1¾ hours. Discard the rosemary, add the remaining thinly sliced green leek and cook for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with a little extra chopped rosemary to serve.