Serves 4

When I was young, my family would call this neck soup, but it is better-known as Scotch broth, which sounds far more appetising. For me, a good soup should consist of a clear, flavourful broth with lots of chunky meat and veg. If you can, cook the mutton until tender (end of step 2), cool and chill overnight. Spoon off any more fat that rises to the surface.

500g neck of mutton, with bone
Few sprigs of thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
2 large onions, 1 halved and 1 chopped
2 carrots, 1 halved and 1 chopped
1 stick of celery, halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
1/2 white cabbage, core trimmed, and
chopped
30g pearl barley, soaked in cold water
overnight
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1 Put the mutton into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for a few minutes until the scum floats to the surface. Remove the mutton and discard the water along with the scum and impurities. (This will help to ensure that the resulting broth is clear for cooking the vegetables.)
2 Return the meat to the pan and add the thyme, bay leaves, onion, carrot and celery halves and a little seasoning. Fill with enough cold water to cover and place the pot over a medium heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook gently for 11/2 hours until the meat is just tender.
3 Add the chopped vegetables and barley to the pan and top up with more boiling water, if necessary. Simmer for another 30-45 minutes until the barley is cooked.
4 Remove the mutton from the pan and separate the meat from the bones and any gristle. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup. Reheat and season to taste. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

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