Scottish red lentil soup, with or without barley, is comfort in a bowl. Perfect for cooler days, and fresh, crusty bread is highly recommended.

Place the red lentils in a bowl and cover with about an inch of water,set aside.

Put the measured water and bone in a large soup pot, with a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil (skim off any scum that rises to the top) then let simmer. Alternatively, start with a pot of beef stock.

With barley:
Skip this step you don’t want barley) In a small pot, add the barley and cover with half an inch of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 10 min.
Drain the barley and add to the large pot with the bone (make sure to remove scum first.

In a medium frying pan, sauté the onion, carrots, celery and turnip/rutabaga in the olive oil for about 6 or 7 min. Remove from heat.

Next, add the red lentils and the sautéed vegetables, and another teaspoon of salt; stir well and let simmer for about half an hour, or until cooked.

When ready, remove the bone, taste for salt, adding more if necessary (or beef bouillion if using) and freshly cracked black pepper.

Serve hot, with some hearty bread.

Enjoy!