Today we're heading to the rugged and picturesque mountains of Scotland, where culinary traditions have warmed the souls of locals for centuries. We're making two iconic soups that have become symbols of Scottish hospitality and homey comfort.
🍲 Cock-a-Leekie
A traditional Scottish soup in chicken broth with leeks and prunes—a combination that surprises and conquers. Thick, rich, with a light sweetness from the dried fruit and tender chicken that literally melts in your mouth.
Ingredients:
• Chicken (whole) — 1.5 kg
• Leeks — 4 stalks (about 600 g)
• Pitted prunes — 150 g
• Pearl barley — 100 g
• Carrot — 1 medium
• Bay leaves — 2
• Fresh parsley — small bunch
• Salt — to taste
• Black peppercorns — 8-10
• Water — 2.5 liters
Preparation:
Step 1. Rinse the chicken under cold water, remove excess fat. Place in a large pot of at least 4 liters capacity, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim off all the foam with a slotted spoon—the broth should become clear. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, reduce heat to minimum and simmer covered for 1 hour. Done when: the chicken is easily pierced with a fork, the meat starts coming off the bones.
Step 2. While the chicken cooks, prepare the vegetables. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, rinse thoroughly under running water to remove sand and dirt, pulling the layers apart. Cut the white and light green parts into rings 1 cm thick (don't use the dark green tops). Peel the carrot and cut into rounds 0.5 cm thick. Rinse the prunes and, if the pieces are large, cut each in half.
Step 3. Rinse the pearl barley in cold water 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Pour boiling water over it and let sit for 10 minutes—this will speed cooking and make the grain softer.
Step 4. When the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the broth with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large plate. Let cool 10-15 minutes so you can work with your hands. Strain the broth through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, removing the spices. Return the clean broth to the pot.
Step 5. Pull the chicken apart into fibers, removing skin and bones. Cut or tear the meat into pieces 2-3 cm in size. Return the meat to the broth, add the drained barley, carrot, and two-thirds of the sliced leeks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 25-30 minutes. Done when: the barley is completely soft but holds its shape, the carrot is easily pierced with a knife.
Step 6. Add the remaining leeks and prunes. Cook another 10 minutes over low heat. The leeks should become soft but not fall apart into mush, the prunes should swell and give their sweetness to the broth. Taste and add salt as needed.
Step 7. Finely chop the parsley. Remove the soup from heat, add the greens, cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each has enough chicken, leeks, and prunes. Serve with crusty bread or oat cakes.
💡 Fact: Cock-a-Leekie is mentioned in Scottish literature from the 16th century and was traditionally served at weddings and important family celebrations. The unusual combination of chicken and prunes came from the medieval tradition of adding dried fruits to meat dishes for flavor balance.
🥘 Scotch Broth
Classic Scottish soup with lamb, pearl barley, and root vegetables—hearty, warming, with a rich meaty flavor. Thick texture, abundance of vegetables, and soft-cooked grain make it a complete lunch dish.
Ingredients:
• Lamb on the bone (neck or breast) — 800 g
• Pearl barley — 100 g
• Carrots — 2 medium (about 250 g)
• Turnip — 1 medium (about 200 g)
• Onion — 1 large
• Leeks — 2 stalks
• Celery stalks — 2
• White cabbage — 150 g
• Fresh parsley — small bunch
• Bay leaves — 2
• Dried thyme — 1 teaspoon
• Salt — to taste
• Black peppercorns — 10
• Water — 2.5 liters
Preparation:
Step 1. Rinse the lamb, pat dry with paper towels. If there are large pieces of fat, trim some (but not all—it will give flavor to the broth). Place the meat in a large pot, cover with cold water and set over high heat. As soon as it boils, skim off the abundant foam—there will be a lot, use a slotted spoon. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to minimum, cover and cook for 1.5 hours. Done when: the meat is soft, starts coming off the bone with light pressure from a fork.
Step 2. Rinse the pearl barley in several changes of water until clear. Pour boiling water over it and let swell for 15 minutes, then drain.
Step 3. Prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots and cut into 0.8 cm cubes. Peel the turnip and cut into the same size cubes. Finely chop the onion into 0.5 cm cubes. Cut the leeks lengthwise, rinse to remove sand, and cut into half-rings 0.5 cm thick (use the white and light green parts). Cut the celery into thin slices 0.3 cm. Shred the cabbage into strips 0.5 cm wide.
Step 4. When the lamb is cooked, remove it from the broth and transfer to a plate. Strain the broth through a sieve, removing spices and small bones. Return the broth to the pot. Let the meat cool for 10 minutes, then separate from the bones and cut into pieces 1.5-2 cm. Discard the bones and cartilage.
Step 5. Add the barley, carrots, turnip, onion, and celery to the strained broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes so the barley doesn't stick to the bottom. Done when: the grain is soft but not mushy, the root vegetables are easily pierced with a fork but hold their shape.
Step 6. Add the cut lamb, leeks, and cabbage. Cook another 15 minutes over low heat. The cabbage should become soft but retain structure, the leeks should almost completely soften. Taste the broth and add salt—lamb requires a generous amount of salt.
Step 7. Finely chop the parsley. Add to the soup, stir, and let steep covered for 5-7 minutes. Ladle into bowls, making sure each portion has plenty of meat and vegetables. Scotch Broth should be very thick—almost like a stew. Serve with oat cakes or simple white bread.
💡 Fact: Scotch Broth is Scotland's national dish, prepared as far back as the 15th century. It's a poor man's soup that gradually became a symbol of Scottish cuisine. In the old days it was cooked from the cheapest parts of the sheep, and the abundance of barley and root vegetables made it maximally filling and economical.