Lamb Shank & Pearl Barley Soup

Soup soup soup! Dear god how many soups can i cook? From Wikipedia;


"Soup is a food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth."

enough said. This is my weekly soup recipe! The rich fat from the lamb shanks gives this soup it's delicious mouth feel, and yet it is also nutritious and healthy, abounding with vegetables. Light enough for the beginning of spring, but warming enough for the lagging winter chill.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2 large lamb shanks (about 1kg)
• 4 carrots
• 2 large onions
• 4 small potatoes, peeled and washed
• 1 leek
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 litres water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Method

Dice the celery, potatoes and carrots, and finely slice the garlic, leek and onion

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-heat heat
Add the shanks and brown well on all sides.

Remove the shanks from the pan and set aside
Add the butter to the pan, reduce heat to medium and allow butter to melt
Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery and leek to the pan

Saute for 15 minutes or until soft
Add the potatoes and saute for a further 5 minutes

Return the shanks to the pot with the 2 litres of water and spring to the boil

Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 90 minutes
Remove the shanks from the pot

When cooled enough to handle, shred the shank meat with your fingers and return to the pot

Season the soup with salt and pepper
Ladle into serving bowls and serve with a garnish of the chopped parsley