This is peasant food from north of the border based on a small amount of meat and root vegetables. It has the same ancestors as Irish Stew and Lancashire Hotpot. Northern European peasant food has never gained the popularity of its cousins in the south like pizza and pasta, maybe there is potential for a chain of Irish stew restaurants. Originally, the meat content was in the form of a sheep's head, as these are not available in the high street, the more readily available neck-of-lamb has been substituted.
2 lb (1 kg) of neck of lamb (or any other cheap cut of meat).
1
onion
3 carrots
1 turnip
2 leeks
a cauliflower
4 oz (100 gm) of pearl
barley
8 oz (200 gm) ounces of dried peas
6 pints (3 liters) of
water.
Method
Roughly chop the onion and leeks, dice the carrots and turnip and break up the cauliflower into florettes and dice the stem. Wash the peas and barley. Place all the ingredients in a pan with a well fitting lid and bring to the boil, then simmer for two and a half hours. Finally remove the meat, add salt and pepper according to taste. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley.
Comment
The mix of vegetables can be adjusted according to season and availability.
Page Created: 1st December 2000