I always so love the wonderful names of our British foods, and this one is no exception. Cock-a-Leekie soup just rolls off the tongue, especially with a lovely Scottish brogue. All it really means, though, is a chicken soup with leeks, but how much more interesting it sounds as Cock-a-leekie, or sometimes know as Cockie-Leekie. It is a very traditional Scottish soup, often served at Burns night celebrations, and the original recipe also used beef as well as chicken.
In the olden days the chickens weren’t all processed like today’s poultry, and I’m sure since the chickens were valued for their eggs, they were only consumed after they had stopped laying, so obviously could be rather tough. I usually cook with skinless chicken breasts to be careful with the fat and calories, but a whole chicken is really best to use for this recipe. Also I am not a big fan of prunes, but they really do add a distinct flavour to this recipe. A crock pot is ideal for cooking if you have the time. Be sure to wash the leeks carefully so there is no sand left; they may need several rinsings. Rice is used in about half the recipes I’ve sampled, and I prefer to have it in, so I included it. I hope you enjoy my version of this classic soup.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (2-3 lb.).
- 6-8 cups water.
- 2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped.
- 8 medium leeks, trimmed, rinsed, cut in slices.
- 1 bay leaf.
- 1 tsp thyme.
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes.
- Salt and pepper.
- ½ lb pitted prunes, halved.
- ¾ cup white rice.
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley.
Instructions
1. Wash the chicken and season inside and out.
2. Place in a large saucepan, and cover with the water.
3. Add onions, leeks, bay leaf, thyme, crumbled bouillon cubes, salt, pepper and prunes.
4. Cover and simmer gently about 1½ hours, turning the chicken over halfway through cooking.
5. Remove any froth occasionally.
6. Lift out the chicken and, when cooled, remove skin and bones, and shred the meat coarsely.
7. Remove the bay leaf.
8. Return shredded chicken to the broth.
9. Add the rice and parsley, and slowly simmer until the rice is cooked. (If adding cooked beef, add the last 10 minutes of cooking).
Recipe from Sandra Cherry, Union Jack Food Columnist. Queries, comments and recipes are welcome, and I can be reached at Yourcuppatea1@yahoo.com.
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