New England Lamb and Barley Soup
A deeply comforting country soup packed with tender lamb, nutty pearl barley, and chunky root vegetables from the chilly New South Wales high country.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 80 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-based stockpot or Dutch oven
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 32 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 440 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a heavy-based stockpot over medium-high heat.
- 2
Brown the lamb pieces in batches until well caramelised, then set aside on a plate.
- 3
Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and swede to the remaining pan juices.
- 4
Cook vegetables for five minutes over medium heat until they begin to soften.
- 5
Stir in the chopped garlic, fresh rosemary, and pearl barley for one minute.
- 6
Return the browned lamb and resting juices to the pot.
- 7
Pour in the stock, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the base.
- 8
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid.
- 9
Simmer gently for seventy minutes until the lamb is meltingly tender and barley is soft.
- 10
Skim any excess fat from the surface and season with salt and pepper.
- 11
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls and scatter with fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Chef's tips
Browning the lamb thoroughly at the start creates the deep, savoury base flavour essential for this soup. If the soup becomes too thick as the barley absorbs liquid, add a splash of boiling water or extra stock.
Ingredient substitutions
- lamb forequarter chops → lamb neck chops or lamb shanks
- swede → turnip or parsnip
- low-sodium beef stock → vegetable stock or filtered water
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water to loosen the broth.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the soup vigorously, which toughens the lamb instead of gently breaking down the connective tissue.
- •Skipping the rinsing of pearl barley, which can make the broth overly cloudy and excessively thick.
Serving suggestions
Cooked New England Lamb and Barley Soup?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
