Scotch Broth with Pulled Lamb on Grilled Toasts

Who doesn't like a One Pot Wonder?  Chop and dump in the pot are my favorite kinds of meals and that's literally all this is.  I had never heard of Scotch broth let alone ever tried lamb so I was a bit hesitant but it turned out fab!

As with any good Jamie recipe, you start out with a couple rashers of bacon, a knob of butter and some herbs.  In this case it's fresh rosemary.  I'm usually not one for eating just a piece of bacon, a.k.a. fat on a stick, but the smell coming from that pot was heavenly.

Here's a look at all the veg that goes into this soup: swede (rutabaga), leeks, celery, turnips, carrot and onion.  While your bacon is getting some color, it's literally chop and dump as you go.  It really doesn't get any easier than that!

TIP: I figured out a fool proof way of getting clean leeks every time.  Just chop as desired and dump in a large bowl.  Add fresh water to the bowl until the leeks are floating with some clearance in the bottom of the bowl.  Swirl the leeks around a bit and let them sit until you need them.  All the dirt and sand will settle to the bottom of the bowl.  I use a spaghetti spoon to transfer the leeks to the pot.  100% of the time, it works every time! Please tell me you've seen Anchor Man or that joke will be a lost cause :P

Once all the veg is in the pot, create a little nest and add the lamb shanks.  I was only able to get my hands on a 700 gram (1.5 lb) semi-boneless leg, which my butcher husband tells me is an ok substitute for shanks.

Cover it all with chicken stock and bring up to a bubble.  Put the top on the pot and let that gently blip away.  At the 3 hour mark, add the barley.  Put the top back on the pot and let that go for another 30 minutes.


Take the lamb out and transfer it to a bowl where you take 2 forks and shred baby shred.  It should basically fall apart without any effort.  Stir in the mustard, honey, mint sauce (not mint jelly) and rough chopped parsley to the meat and season if needed.

Put a couple pieces of crusty bread, we used sourdough, under the broiler to toast.  Top them with the meat mixture and put back under the broiler until it's all gone crispy.  Oh my yes.  These were phenomenal.

My hubby just kept saying "mmhmm, mmhmm, yep, gooood", and that's when you know it's a keeper!!