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.
