Cock-a-leekie soup

Cock-a-leekie soup
Type Soup
Place of origin Scotland
Main ingredients Leeks, chicken stock, sometimes prunes
Cookbook:Cock-a-leekie soup  Cock-a-leekie soup

Cock-a-leekie soup is a Scottish soup dish of leeks and 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. [1] Anne Mulhern of Glasgow's Willow Tearooms suggests that the reason for the addition of prunes dates back to times when only boiling fowls were available and prunes were added to increase the nutritional value of the broth.[2]

While it is called “Scotland’s National Soup,” it probably originated as a chicken and onion soup in France.[3] By the 16th century, it had made its way to Scotland, where the onions were replaced with leeks.[4] The first recipe was printed in 1598,[4] though the name “cock-a-leekie” did not come into use until the 18th century.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cock-a-Leekie Soup (Scotland)
  2. ↑ Anne Mulhern of The Willow Tearooms: Recipe for Cock-a-Leekie soup, with narrative
  3. ↑ Whitman, Joan. Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Food Encyclopedia. New York:New York Times Company, 1985
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ayto, John. An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 2002
  5. ↑ Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1999