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Cock-a-Leekie Soup

By: Ronnie Clydesdale

Cock-a-Leekie Soup is a peasant dish with many regional variations, some which go back as far as the 16th century. Some cooks add chopped grilled bacon, some use beef stock, some add Jamaican pepper and many suggest offering stewed prunes with the finished dish. Talleyrand, the French gourmet, recommended cooking prunes in the soup.

Whichever choice you make this easy recipe from Ronnie Clydesdale of the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow is a sure-fire winner.

Servings

4

Prep. time:

30 mins

Cook:

1 hr 30 mins

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 x 2lb 12oz/ 1.25k fresh, whole chicken
  • 12 medium sized leeks, well washed and chopped to ¾”/2cm lengths
  • 4 oz/ 100g long grain rice, washed
  • 3 – 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
  • Handful of chopped prunes
  • Salt and crushed black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Put the chicken in a pot with enough water to more than cover. Add ½ of the leeks.

Step 3

Strain the stock into a fresh pot, add the rice and cook in a covered pot for 10 minutes Add the grated carrots and the remainder of the chopped leeks and diced prunes. Continue cooking for 20 minutes.

Step 5

Chop a little of the reserved chicken and add to the finished soup.

Bon appétit !

Step 2

Cover the pot and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the chicken is falling off the bone Remove the chicken and reserve.

Step 4

Taste for intensity of flavour and, if necessary, reduce further to increase the taste. Season with salt and pepper.

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My French Onion Soup

By: Garry Waite

My French Onion Soup takes a bit of time to make, but worth it in the long run. This will make about eight portions and is good for freezing down. If you wish to keep it vegetarian obviously omit the bacon and the beef stock cube and substitute the beef stock for veggie. If you look at other recipes you will find variations but this particular recipe guarantees a full, rich and warming soup that would claim pride of place in the Bistros of Paris.

Servings

6 – 8

Prep. time:

20 mins

Cook:

1 hr

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 x 2lb 12oz/ 1.25k fresh, whole chicken
  • 12 medium sized leeks, well washed and chopped to ¾”/2cm lengths
  • 4 oz/ 100g long grain rice, washed
  • 3 – 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
  • Handful of chopped prunes
  • Salt and crushed black pepper

Servings

6 – 8

Cook:

1 hr

Prep. time:

20 mins

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 x 2lb 12oz/ 1.25k fresh, whole chicken
  • 12 medium sized leeks, well washed and chopped to ¾”/2cm lengths
  • 4 oz/ 100g long grain rice, washed
  • 3 – 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
  • Handful of chopped prunes
  • Salt and crushed black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

In a large pan sauté off the onions, garlic, bacon and apple

Step 3

When the pan is still hot pour in the brandy and ignite to burn off the alcohol and then add the red wine.

Step 5

Bring to the boil and then gently simmer for about 20 minutes. Return to boiling point, mix the corn flour with cold water and add to the mix. Bring back to the boil and simmer for a further 10/15 minutes.

Step 2

Caramelise the onions. The sugar in the apple will help this process but now add the brown sugar. Crumble the stock cubes into the mixture. Add the black pepper.

Step 4

Add 2 litres of water and the tomato purée.

Step 6

TO SERVE pour in to a deep bowl place some dry bread on top (or toast) grate over some cheese (I use cheddar but you can use gruyere) and place under a grill until golden brown.

Bon Appétit !