Scotch Broth

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Rosemary Zwick:

My friends and I had joined a weight-loss organization. At one meeting
the instructor held up an apple and a candy bar. "What are the
attributes of this apple," she asked, "and how do they relate to our diet?"

"Low in calories" and "lots of fiber" were among the answers. She then
detailed what was wrong with eating candy, and concluded, "Apples are
not only more healthful but also less expensive. Do you know I paid 75
cents for this candy bar?" We stared as she held aloft the forbidden treat.

 From the back of the room a small voice spoke up, "I'll give you a dollar for it."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I have seen recipes for Scotch broth that are based on beef stock, but
any self-respecting Scot will tell you that mutton is the meat of
choice. Since mutton is hard to come by in the USA, I have specified lamb instead.

Scotch Broth

For the stock:
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil
4 lamb shanks (about 4 lbs, 3.5 Kg)
1 large onion, halved
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine
8 cups (2 L) boiling water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the soup:
1 Tbs (15 ml) vegetable oil
3 medium leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried thyme
1/2 cup (125 ml) pearl barley
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

To make the stock, heat the oil in a large soup pot over moderate heat
and brown the lamb shanks and onion on all sides. Remove to a platter
and add the wine to the pot. Cook, stirring the wine to scrape up all
the brown bits in the bottom of the pot, until the wine is reduced to
about 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Return the lamb and onion to the pot, reduce
the heat to low, and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Increase the heat to
high and add the boiling water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and
simmer partially covered for 2 hours. Strain the stock, discard the
onion, and set the lamb shanks aside until cool enough to handle. Remove
the meat from the bones and chop coarsely - discard the bones.
Refrigerate the stock and meat for at least 6 hours or overnight. Skim
the fat off the surface of the stock and discard. To make the soup, heat
the oil in a large soup pot over moderate heat and saute the leeks,
carrots, and celery until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the
lamb stock, the reserved lamb meat, turnip, thyme, and barley. Bring to
a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer partially covered until the barley
is tender, about 45 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper
and serve garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Thu Dec 3 18:41:23 2009