Hearty Scotch Broth Soup
Serves 6

Inspiration

Hearty Scotch Broth Soup

Since the caveman’s lovely mate The Cook roasted his kill over the fire, leftover roasted red meat has lured cooks to their soup pots. At my house roasted red meat happens about twice a year, and each time my desire for this fabulous soup is the inspiration.

Hint

After a roast is cooked and while it rests on a platter to settle its juices, deglaze the hot roasting pan with a mixture of wine and water. Scrape all the drippings away from the pan surface and let them simmer with the other juice, making a demi-glace. Here is the hint: Use half of the demi-glace for sauce and save the rest for soup.

Ingredients

All the meat leftover (after the sandwiches) from a roast*
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium size onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large or 3 small carrots, peeled and chopped
2 qts. Homemade Stock plus any leftover demi-glace
If the meat is lamb, 1 tbs. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (1/2 tsp. dried)
If the meat is beef, 1 bay leaf, cracked
If the meat is pork, 3 sage leaves minced (1 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp. dried)
½ cup dry pearl barley (or lentils, farro or diced potato)
¼ cup potato flour paste (2 tbs. potato flour and 4 tbs. water), or ½ cup Dehydrated Potato (optional)
¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Cut all leftover meat into bit size pieces (about 3 cups) and set aside.
2. In a soup pot, soften onion, garlic and carrots in olive oil on medium heat. Add stock, demi-glace, herbs and barley and cook uncovered at a steady simmer until the barley is cooked (about 10 minutes). If you want the soup to be thicker, add potato flour paste or ½ cup dehydrated organic potato flakes and stir over heat until the soup is the thick enough
3. Add the meat and parsley and simmer on low heat for 2 or 3 more minutes. Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. To Serve: Ladle into warmed bowls.

*If it is a bone-in roast, enhance the flavor of the soup by making added quick stock. Put the bone in 1/2 gallon of water. Add half the contents of a stock bag, 1 onion, quartered, 2 garlic cloves, some herbs, kosher salt and a few peppercorns. Boil at a steady simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Strain and use.