This traditional Scottish soup is said to have been a favorite of Mary Queen of Scots. Its name may derive from the custom that the losing bird in a cockfight was plucked, dismembered, tossed into a pot with several leeks for flavor and stewed for the spectators to share following their sport. Cockaleekie requires long, slow cooking and according to good Scotsmen: a very old bird, preferably a rooster. Ingredients: Dry: 2 Chickens, whole (about 8 lbs.) 1 Calf foot, split 24 Leeks, rinsed and chopped (white to light green only) 6 Onions, small, peeled and chopped 2 Butter, sticks 1/2 cup Sugar 6 lbs. Carrots, scraped and sliced 2 cups Pearl barley Parsley Salt and pepper Bouguet Garni: bay leaves, parsley, garlic, thyme, and cloves wrapped in cheese cloth. Wet: chicken broth (enough to cover) Preparation: • Bring chicken, calf's foot, broth, sugar, and bouquet of garni to a boil. • Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. • Removed cooked chicken, bones, and garni, allow to cool. • Add carrots, onions, and barley, simmer another 30-35 minutes. • In another pot, saute leeks in butter until soft, not brown. Add them to soup pot and continue to simmer another 15 minutes. • Remove meat from bones, chop into bite-size pieces, and return to soup. • Allow soup to cool, refrigerate overnight and remove solidified fat from surface before reheating to serve. Add salt, pepper and parsley to taste. |
|
|