How To Make Irish Vegetable Farmhouse Broth

The traditional Irish vegetable farmhouse broth is a substantial meal in one. It's traditionally made with lamb or mutton, each serving is topped with a floury boiled potato.

With a mixture of vegetables in a thick soup, the Irish vegetable farmhouse broth is extremely popular in Ireland. You may also find people referring to this broth as vegetable soup.

One of the great things about this meal is that it can be kept overnight in a large pot for 2nd servings the next day. Like traditional Irish stew, this soup is best served during the cold months of the year.

The ingredients for making Irish Vegetable Farmhouse Broth

• 1lb neck of lamb
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dried split peas, soaked overnight
• 4 to 5 pints of water
• 2 tablespoons pearl barley
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and sliced
• 1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 small freshly boiled potato per serving
• Salt

How to prepare the broth

The longest part of preparing the Irish vegetable farmhouse broth is soaking the dried split peas.

1. Wash the dried split peas and soak overnight in a bowl of water.
2. Wash the pearl barley in cold water.
3. Peel and chop the onion.
4. Was the carrots and chop into pieces.
5. Wash the celery, trim, and chop into pieces.
6. Peel the turnip, and chop into smaller pieces.
7. Wash and peel the potatoes

Cooking the Irish vegetable farmhouse broth

Using meat in the broth is optional. If you decide not to use meat, skip those steps.

1. place meat into a large pot.
2. Add the 4 to 5 pints of water to the pot.
3. Mix in the peas and bring to the boil.
4. Place lid on the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add the pearl barley, vegetables and salt.
6. Bring back to the boil and simmer for a further ½ hour.
7. Remove the meat, when cool enough to handle remove the bone and cut into pieces.
8. Return the meat to the soup.
9. Add the parsley bring back to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Stir the broth until it thickens.

You can also boil potatoes in the soup or boil them separately. Each bowl of the farmhouse soup should be served with at least one potato.

Its also recommended serving this soup with home-made bread and Irish butter.