Cocka-Leeke Soup
Submitted by trp1fox
A hearty Scottish cock-a-leekie soup simmered low and slow with leeks, chicken breast, carrots, and celery in rich broth. Finished with an egg yolk liaison for silky body. Serves 6 to 8.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
130 minREADY
145 minCock-a-leekie is one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved soups, and for good reason. It’s honest, warming, and built on simple ingredients that simmer together until the broth is deeply savory.
Six fat leeks get browned in butter with carrots and celery, then everything simmers in chicken broth with cubed breast meat for a couple of hours. The finishing touch is a classic egg yolk liaison stirred in at the end, giving the broth a velvety richness that clings to every spoonful.
This is the kind of soup you make on a cold afternoon when you want the kitchen to smell like home.
Chef Tips
- Clean leeks thoroughly by soaking sliced rounds in cold water to flush out hidden grit
- Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking in a ladle of hot broth before adding it to the pot, so it doesn’t curdle
- Some traditional recipes add pitted prunes in the last 30 minutes for a subtle sweetness
Ingredients
Directions
Slice cleaned leeks into ½ inch slices.
Melt butter in a large skillet and add leeks, carrots, and celery, cook until lightly browned.
Add all but 2 cups of chicken broth from the boiled chicken to the skillet.
Add the chicken breast cut up into small cubes.
Cover and simmer for approx 2 hours.
In the 2 cups of chicken broth you saved add the egg yolk to it and mix well.
Add this to the skillet and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
Comments
