From Guy From France

 

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

 

(Scotland)

 

---

 

 

 

A fine and traditional Scots appetite stimulant to solid fare. As early as 1598 Fynes Morrison recorded that it was served at a Knight's house with boiling fowl (thus the "cock") and prunes. By the late 18th century, French statesman and gastronome Charles Maurice de Talleyrand opined that the prunes should be cooked with the soup but removed before serving. Ultimately they were removed from the recipe altogether. Sir Walter Scott in St. Ronan's Well cannot help exclaiming: "Such were the cock-a-leekie and the savoury minced collops...." Serve hot to 4-6 people.

 

---

 

 

 

• 6 leeks, sliced into half moons after cutting away the roots and dark green and washing
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups strong chicken stock
• 3 Tablespoons butter (even better, chicken fat)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garnish: optional: julienne of prunes (which a reader assures me is still traditional)

 

Bring the stock to a boil, add leeks, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter (or fat) and season. Stir in the cream (and prunes) at the end, ladle into bowls, and serve immediately.

 

From WeeFaerie:

 

How To Make Cock a Leekie Soup

 

Other names for Cock a Leekie soup include Cock a Leeky soup and Cock-a-Leekie soup. There are also recipes for Cock a Leekie pie but Scottishrecipes will concentrate on the traditional Scottish way to how to make Cock a Leekie soup.

 

Ingredients For Cock a Leekie soup

 

One whole chicken or several pieces of uncooked and boned chicken wings, legs or quarters 400g of leeks 100g of precooked prunes that have had their stones removed 25g of rice 2 litres of water or soup stock One teaspoon of brown sugar Seasoning of salt and pepper, one bay leaf and some thyme Parsley for the garnish 
Optional ingredients: Three rashers of chopped streaky bacon

 

Recipe For Cock a Leekie Soup

 

Place the chicken into a large pot and add the soup stock or water. Bring to the boil. As any fatty scum appears at the top of the pot of Cock a Leekie remove and discard. 
Wash the leeks and roughly chop into about 2cm pieces, using the green and white pieces, though some cooks prefer just to use the whites of the leeks. Once the chicken or chicken pieces have been boiling for about one hour add the chopped leeks and the herbs of bay leaf and thyme and bring back to the boil and then simmer for two hours. The salt and pepper if used can be added at this stage of the recipe for Cock a Leekie soup. If used the bacon should be thinly chopped and added to the Cock a Leekie soup pot. 
The book Scots Cooking: The Best Traditional and Contemporary Scottish Recipes by Sue Lawrence suggests serving the broth in bowls whilst serving the chicken on a platter and carved at the table to be put into the soup depending on the taste of each person. Sue recommends avoiding over cooking the chicken to avoid tough meat. 
During the simmering of this recipe for Cock a Leekie soup if the water goes down and the fowl or leeks are exposed then top up the water or soup stock. 
Test to see if the chicken has cooked by piercing the skin with a fork. No blood should come out and the fork should pierce the flesh easily. 
Take out the chicken, giblets or chicken pieces and the bay leaf. Set aside and save some chicken pieces to serve with the Cock a Leekie soup. The rest of the chicken can be used for other recipes, such as a Cock a Leekie pie or even given to the dog as a treat which us what the www.scottishrecipes.co.uk team do! Add the rice, there is no need to cook it separately as it will cook during the simmering. If you are using the traditional way to cook Cock a Leekie soup then drain the prunes of their juice and add the sliced prunes. Simmer for about thirty minutes. Once all the ingredients have cooked then add some thin chicken strips to the pot. Simmer for about ten more minutes and then serve with your favourite bread and garnish with some chopped parsley.

 

  

 

Haggis Traditional

 

Haggis Ingredients:

 

1 sheep's stomach bag 1 sheep's pluck - liver, lungs and heart 3 onions 250g beef Suet 150g oatmeal salt and black pepper a pinch of cayenne 150mls of stock/gravy

 

Haggis Cooking Directions:

 

1. Clean the stomach bag thoroughly and soak overnight. In the morning turn it inside out. 
2. Wash the pluck and boil for 1.5 hours, ensuring the windpipe hangs over the pot allowing drainage of the impurities. 
3. Mince the heart and lungs and grate half the liver. 
4. Chop up the onions and suet. 
5. Warm the oatmeal in the oven. 
6. Mix all the above together and season with the salt and pepper. Then add the cayenne. 
7. Pour over enough of the pluck boiled water to make the mixture watery. 
8. Fill the bag with the mixture until it's half full. 
9. Press out the air and sew the bag up. 
10. Boil for 3 hours (you may need to prick the bag with a wee needle if it looks like blowing up!) without the lid on. 
11. Serve with neeps and tatties.

 

From Mark53

 

 Blue Cheese Pasta

 

 Ingredients

 

    1 pound fresh egg noodles or linguini

 

    1/2 cup blue cheese, such as blue d’Auvergne or Roquefort, crumbled or cut

 

    1/2 cup heavy cream

 

    pepper to season

 

Directions

 

 

 

    Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Put the cheese and cream in a saucepan and melt together. Season with pepper. While the cheese melts into sauce, cook the pasta al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Tilt it all into a serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and extra crumbled blue cheese, if you like, for looks.

 

  

 

  

 

Italian Meatloaf Recipe

 

• 1 pound ground beef (leaner is better) • 1 4 ounce can mushrooms (reserve juice) • 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs • 1 large egg • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 4 center cut bacon strips • 1 teaspoon dried parsley • 1/2 teaspoon oregano • 1/2 teaspoon basil • 1/2 teaspoon thyme • 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs • 1/2 onion, finely chopped • 1 cup mozzarella cheese • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

 

 

 

Italian Meatloaf Recipe Directions

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add water to mushroom juice to make 1 cup. Fry bacon until crispy, drain and crumble. Set aside.

 

Combine beef, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, egg, mushroom juice, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. On wax paper, form meat mixture into a 8x12 inch rectangle.

 

Sprinkle meat with parsley, oregano, basil, thyme and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Spread bacon, onion, mushrooms and cheese evenly over meat.

 

Roll meat into an 8 inch wide loaf. Place meatloaf into an 8 inch glass bread pan or glass baking dish.

 

Bake for 60 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over meatloaf, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

 

Let meatloaf sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

From Catnip: 

 

 

Phreddy's Pizza!