Tasty Scottish Cock-a-leekie Soup
A historic Scottish soup of tender poached chicken and sweet shredded leeks simmered in a rich golden broth with sweet prunes and garden herbs.
Ingredients
- • Small whole chicken (1.3lb approx)
- • 4 large leeks
- • 4 large carrots
- • 2 sticks of celery
- • 2 bay leaves
- • 1 onion *optional
- • 120g long grain rice
- • Salt and white pepper
- • 2.5 litres of cold water (approximately)
- • A handful of dried prunes **optional
Preparation Steps
Chop the green parts off the leeks and put in the bottom of a pot, place the chicken on top.
Surround the chicken with the celery sticks, carrots, onion, and bay leaves. Cut them down to fit if necessary.
Add liberal amounts of salt and white pepper.
Pour cold water over the top (it should cover the chicken so you may need to use a little more or less than stated.
Cover and bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for about one hour, until juices run clear when you push a knife into the chicken, or the chicken is falling off the bone.
Chop two whites of the leeks into rounds. The other two remains of the leeks are not necessary for the rest of the recipe so you can set aside to use for something else.
Chop the 2 remaining carrots into small pieces.
Use a spoon to remove some of the fat that floats to the top of the water.
Remove the chicken (I find the most uncomplicated way is to put in a colander over a bowl to collect any extra liquid, then tip the liquid back in the pot).
Set aside to cool a little.
Take the green part of the leeks, the onion, celery, and carrots from your stock.
Add the chopped whites of the leeks and the carrot and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the bone and shred, and discard the bones.
Taste the stock and add more salt and pepper if necessary or simmer for longer and allow it to reduce to strengthen the flavour.
Add the shredded chicken back in and allow to heat through for a few minutes.
Dish into a bowl and sprinkle with a few chopped, dried, prunes then serve.