Aberdeenshire Tattie and Neep Broth
A nourishing North East Scottish farm-kitchen soup loaded with tender tatties, sweet neeps, and plump pearl barley simmered in a rich broth.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 280 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based stockpot
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 9 g
- calories
- 280 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat on the hob.
- 2
Add the chopped onion and leek.
- 3
Cook gently for 5 minutes until soft and translucent, without letting them brown.
- 4
Add the diced neeps, carrots, and tatties to the pot.
- 5
Stir the vegetables for 2 minutes to coat them evenly in the butter.
- 6
Pour in the hot stock, then stir in the rinsed pearl barley and thyme sprigs.
- 7
Bring the broth to a gentle boil over high heat.
- 8
Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40 minutes.
- 9
Lightly crush a few soft potato cubes against the side of the pot using a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
- 10
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.
- 11
Stir in the chopped parsley, sea salt, and black pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 12
Ladle the hot broth into warmed bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
For an authentic farm-kitchen richness, simmer a leftover ham hough or roast beef bone directly in the pot. Crushing a small portion of the cooked potatoes gives the broth its classic rustic body without needing any added flour. Cut the swede slightly smaller than the potatoes so everything cooks through at the same rate.
Ingredient substitutions
- beef stock → smoked ham hough stock or rich vegetable stock
- butter → cold-pressed Scottish rapeseed oil or traditional beef dripping
- pearl barley → broth mix (split peas and barley) or coarse pinhead oatmeal
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a pot over medium heat on the hob, adding a splash of water if the barley has thickened the broth.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting the swede into large chunks, which leaves it hard while the potatoes overcook.
- •Boiling the broth vigorously, which can make the barley mushy and cloud the soup excessively.
- •Oversalted stock when using commercial cubes; taste before adding extra salt.
Serving suggestions
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