Cock-a-leekie soup is a Scottish soup dish consisting of leeks and

pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...

chicken stock Stock, sometimes called bone broth, is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes particularly soups, stews, and sauces. Making stock involves simmering animal bones, meat, seafood, or vegetables in water or wine, often for an ...

, often thickened with

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

, or sometimes

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley p ...

. The original recipe added

prune A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of '' Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high so ...

s during cooking, and traditionalists still garnish with a julienne of prunes. While it is called "Scotland's National Soup", it probably originated as a chicken and onion soup in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. By the late 16th century, it had made its way to Scotland, where the onions were replaced with leeks.Ayto, John. An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 2002 The first recipe was printed in 1598, though the name "cock-a-leekie" did not come into use until the 18th century. Traditionally, it is made with broiler fowl. These have very little flesh. Traditionally, the soup will not be loaded with vegetables nor thickeners. It would range from a clear stock to a green leek stock, with little flesh. The rich, chicken, vegetable and thickener versions seen today are produced largely because original cock a leekie is delicate, refreshing and difficult to make delicious. It is not the appetizing meal suggested by the modern version which is closer to chicken soup or stew. Cock a leekie soup, like a chicken and leek consome with a little flesh, and pieces of leek, is a traditional soup course at Burns’ Suppers. There are

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

versions of this soup. The vegetarian version has leeks and may include mixed vegetables, chicken flavoured

meat substitute A meat alternative or meat substitute (also called plant-based meat or fake meat, sometimes pejoratively) is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically approximate qua ...

and/or prunes.

History

The first known mention of this soup is from the ''Orchtertyre House Book'' (1737), an accounts book that recorded a dinner of 'cockie leekie fowlls in it'". The earliest recipe is from the Victorian era cookbook writer

Isabella Beeton Isabella Mary Beeton ( Mayson; 14 March 1836 – 6 February 1865), known as Mrs Beeton, was an English journalist, editor and writer. Her name is particularly associated with her first book, the 1861 work '' Mrs Beeton's Book of Household ...

, and is thickened with "the fine part of oatmeal".

Christian Isobel Johnstone Christian Isobel Johnstone (1781–1857) was a prolific journalist and author in Scotland in the nineteenth century. She was a significant early feminist and an advocate of other liberal causes in her era. She wrote anonymously, and under the pseud ...

(Meg Dods) said the soup "must be very thick of leeks and the first part of them must be boiled down into the soup until it becomes a lubricious compound".

References

Scottish soups Chicken dishes Chicken soups Leek dishes {{Soup-stub

History

See also

References