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Cock-a-leekie
Scottish chicken and leek soup with prunes
Cock-a-leekie is Scotland's national soup, a clear broth of chicken and plenty of leeks, traditionally served on Burns Night and St Andrew's Day. A few prunes go in at the end, which sounds odd but gives little bursts of sweetness against the peppery broth. Some families thicken it with a handful of rice or barley. Chef's tip: add most of the leeks only for the last 15 minutes, so they stay green and silky instead of turning grey.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in in a large pot with the 8 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 bay leaves, 3 sprigs thyme, 8 black peppercorns and the dark green tops of the 4 leeks. Bring slowly to a simmer and skim.
15 minStep 2: Simmer gently for 1 hour, until the chicken is falling off the bone.
60 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken and strain the stock, throwing away the vegetables. Pull the meat into bite-sized shreds, discarding skin and bones.
10 minStep 4: Bring the stock back to a simmer, add the white and pale green leeks, the 8 prunes and the 1 ½ tsp salt, and cook for 12–15 minutes until the leeks are tender. A common mistake is a rolling boil, which makes the broth cloudy.
15 minStep 5: Return the chicken and heat until it is piping hot, 165°F, then serve scattered with 2 tbsp parsley.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cock-a-leekie take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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