Cock-a-leekie

Cock-a-leekie soup is a Scottish soup dish consisting of leeks and peppered chicken stock, often thickened with rice, or sometimes barley. The original recipe added prunes during cooking, and traditionalists still garnish with a julienne of prunes.

Cock-a-leekie soup
TypeSoup
Place of originScotland
Main ingredientsLeeks, chicken stock, thickener (oatmeal, rice or pearl barley)
VariationsPrunes, bacon

While it is called "Scotland's National Soup", it probably originated as a chicken and onion soup in France.[1] By the late 16th century,[2] it had made its way to Scotland, where the onions were replaced with leeks.[3] The first recipe was printed in 1598,[3] though the name "cock-a-leekie" did not come into use until the 18th century.[4]

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 versions of this soup. The vegetarian version has leeks and may include mixed vegetables, chicken flavoured meat substitute and/or prunes.[5]

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, and is thickened with "the fine part of oatmeal".[6] Christian Isobel Johnstone (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". "Cockie Leekie" was an offering on the 1st Class passenger luncheon menu of the RMS Titanic on April 14, 1912.[7]

See also

References
  1. Whitman, Joan. Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Food Encyclopedia. New York:New York Times Company, 1985
  2. "How to make the perfect cock-a-leekie soup". The Guardian. Retrieved October 17, 2019
  3. Ayto, John. An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 2002
  4. Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1999
  5. "Vegetarian Cock-A-Leekie Soup Recipe - Food.com".
  6. Brown, Catherine (2011). A Year in A Scots Kitchen. Neil Wilson Publishing. ISBN 9781906476847.
  7. Titanic Facts at https://titanicfacts.net/titanic-menu/
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