Recipe: Winter Vegetable Broth with Barley Bannock

1 Prepare the broth by heating the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the
chopped onion and allow to soften. Chop the celery and carrots into
approximately 2.5cm/1" chunks.
2 Stir the celery, carrots, leeks, parsnips, potato, prepared pearl barley
and vegetable stock into the pan and boil. Cover and simmer for 10-12
minutes. Add more water if necessary.
3 For the Barley Bannocks: Mix together the two flours, cream of tartar and
salt in a large bowl.
4 In a small bowl mix the buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda and add to the
flour mix. Bring the mix to a soft dough and knead for a minute on a
lightly-floured surface.
5 Divide the dough into four and form into discs 9cm/3 1/2" in diameter and
1cm/ 1/2" in thickness. Cut a cross almost all the way through the dough.
6 Heat a griddle pan on a medium heat. Place the four doughs onto the pan
and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden.
7 For the Herbed Butter: Finely chop a selection of herbs and add them to
the softened butter. Season well and beat together until thoroughly mixed.
8 Spoon into a small butter dish and smooth over with a palette knife.
Decorate with a herb leaf. Finely chop the parsley for the broth. Stir the
dry sherry and parsley into the broth and season.
9 Ladle the broth into a soup bowl and put in a serving plate. Serve with
the barley bannocks and herb butter.
For the Pearl Barley: Wash thoroughly in cold water, put in a pan, cover in
cold water, boil and simmer for 30 minutes.