Smith Scotch Vegetable Broth

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken stock cubes
• 4 carrots sliced + 3 carrots grated (a good handful)
• 1 large or 2 medium onions
• [optional] 2 celery sticks, chopped extremely finely so they dissolve
• [optional] 1 leek
• 1 cup of red lentils
• [optional] 1/4 cup of barley (if using this, can scale back lentils to 3/4 of a cup)
• 3 medium potatoes, small cubes
• 2-3 litres of water
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil (any kind will do though)

Directions:

1. Put a little oil into the pot and put on medium heat.
2. Chop the onion(s) exteremly fine and add to the pot.
3. Sweat the onions, stirring them periodically so they don't stick to the pot.
4. Do the same for the celery and leek.
5. Dissolve stock cubes in hot water and add to pot.
6. Chop carrots to quarter inch size, add to the pot.
7. Throw in the grated carrot.
8. Add potatoes, having cubed them to quarter inch size (or leave larger if prefer).
9. Get the pot up to a simmer.
10. Add the red lentils and barley, distributing evenly (not just in a big lump).
11. Top the pop up to its maximum level with boiling water.
12. Cook in pressure cooker for 20 minutes (follow the instructions that came with your pressure cooker).