Scottish Highland Chicken Soup Recipes

TASTY SCOTTISH COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP

Steps:

• Chop the green parts off the leeks and put in the bottom of a pot, place the chicken on top.
• Surround the chicken with the celery sticks, carrots, onion, and bay leaves. Cut them down to fit if necessary.
• Add liberal amounts of salt and white pepper.
• Pour cold water over the top (it should cover the chicken so you may need to use a little more or less than stated.
• Cover and bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for about one hour, until juices run clear when you push a knife into the chicken, or the chicken is falling off the bone.
• Chop two whites of the leeks into rounds. The other two remains of the leeks are not necessary for the rest of the recipe so you can set aside to use for something else.
• Chop the 2 remaining carrots into small pieces.
• Use a spoon to remove some of the fat that floats to the top of the water.
• Remove the chicken (I find the most uncomplicated way is to put in a colander over a bowl to collect any extra liquid, then tip the liquid back in the pot).
• Set aside to cool a little.
• Take the green part of the leeks, the onion, celery, and carrots from your stock.
• Add the chopped whites of the leeks and the carrot and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the rice and simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the bone and shred, and discard the bones.
• Taste the stock and add more salt and pepper if necessary or simmer for longer and allow it to reduce to strengthen the flavour.
• Add the shredded chicken back in and allow to heat through for a few minutes.
• Dish into a bowl and sprinkle with a few chopped, dried, prunes then serve.

SCOTTISH COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP

Steps:

• Cut off the leek tops (the dark green, fibrous parts) and wash well. Set aside the leek bottoms.
• Put clean leak tops in the bottom of a large pot. Place chicken on top and add bay leaf, garlic, dried plums, and 3 quarts water. Set over high heat until it starts to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low or low and simmer gently, occasionally pushing the chicken under the liquid with tongs, for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare leek bottoms by trimming off the root ends and slicing them in half lengthwise. Turn leeks and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices. Transfer to a large bowl and fill with cold water so leeks are floating. Toss with your hands to loosen dirt. Grab leeks with your hands, shake gently to remove water, and transfer to another bowl. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
• Carefully lift chicken with two forks, let liquid drain from the cavity, and place it in a bowl. Separate meat from skin and bones. Tear meat into bite-sized pieces put in the refrigerator until needed.
• Place skin and bones back into the pot and gently simmer for 1 more hour.
• Set a colander in a bowl. Use a skimmer spoon to transfer all solids from the broth to the colander. Discard solids and transfer any broth back to the pot.
• Add half of the sliced leeks to the pot with salt, pepper, and rice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, skimming some fat off if you want and adding more water if it's reducing down too much.
• Add remaining sliced leeks, chicken, and thyme. Simmer over medium-low for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve.

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the crusts from the bread and place the bread in small saucepan.
• Cover with the milk and bring to a boil.
• Set aside and allow to cool a bit.
• Pound the minced chicken, almonds and hard-boiled yolks in a mortar until smooth, and then place in a large bowl.
• Gradually beat in the bread and milk.
• Stir in the stock, and then pass through a sieve into a saucepan.
• Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper, add the nutmeg and lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes; remove from the heat.
• Beat the egg yolks with the cream and blend in 3 tablespoonfuls of the hot soup.
• Stir the mixture into the soup and heat gently for 2 or 3 minutes.
• DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL.
• When it thickens, serve with the diced chicken as a garnish.

COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP (SCOTTISH CHICKEN AND LEEK SOUP)

Steps:

• Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Set chicken aside while prepping the other ingredients.
• Put leek greens, carrot peels, celery leaves, garlic, parsley stems, thyme, bay leaf and star anise at bottom of a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the peppercorns, and pour in 8 cups cold water, or enough to just submerge the chicken.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and partly cover the pot. Cook until chicken is cooked through and very tender, 45 to 55 minutes.
• While the chicken cooks, thickly slice 3 of the leek whites into 1/2-inch coins. Thinly slice the remaining leek white; set thinly and thickly sliced leeks aside separately.
• When the chicken is tender, using tongs, transfer to a large bowl or plate to cool. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discarding vegetables and herbs.
• Wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to medium-high heat. Add butter, letting it melt. Add the thick leek coins (save the thinly sliced leek for garnish), a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer leek whites to a bowl (they can go on top of the chicken if there's room).
• Pour broth back into the pot. Bring broth to a brisk simmer, and stir in barley, carrots and celery. Let broth simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by a third, and the barley and vegetables are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
• While the broth is simmering, use a fork or your fingers to shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones.
• Once the barley and vegetables are tender, stir in shredded chicken, sautéed leek whites and the prunes, and simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the prunes to soften (some might disintegrate). Taste and add salt, if needed. To serve, garnish with thinly sliced leek whites and parsley leaves.

SCOTTISH DEVILED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350.
• Place chicken in a shallow, oven-proof dish.
• Mix the jam, mustard, cayenne and garlic until smooth.
• Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper and pour over the chicken pieces, making sure they are evenly coated.
• Place the lid on the dish and bake in the oven for one hour.

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CHICKEN WITH WHISKY AND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and rub all over with salt, pepper and half the olive oil.
• Combine the remaining oil and butter in a lidded roasting pan and place over medium heat.
• When butter is foaming, place the chicken, breast side down, in the pan and brown for about 4-5 minutes, then turn and brown on the other side for the same length of time. Drain off most of the fat.
• Return the pan with the chicken to the heat and, working quickly, pour the whiskey over it and then set alight. Let the flame die down and then add the broth.
• Cover the chicken with the roasting pan lid (or tuck foil all the way around) and transfer to the oven to bake for about 45-50 minutes.
• When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a cutting board to rest.
• Drain off some of the accumulated fat and then set the pan on a medium high heat.
• Add a spoonful of water to loosen bits clinging to the bottom of the pan, and then add the cream, stirring as you do so.
• Bring to a boil and let cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the parsley to the sauce and keep warm.
• Section the chicken and serve the sauce at table with the chicken. Serves 4-6.
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