Cock-a-leekie

{{Short description|Scottish soup}}

{{Infobox food

| name = Cock-a-leekie soup

| image = Cock-a-leekie Soup.jpg

| image_size = 250px

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| country = Scotland

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| course =

| type = Soup

| served =

| main_ingredient = Leeks, chicken stock, thickener (oatmeal, rice or pearl barley)

| variations = Prunes, bacon

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Cock-a-leekie soup is a Scottish soup dish consisting of leeks and peppered chicken stock, often thickened with rice, or sometimes barley. The original recipe added prunes during cooking, and traditionalists still garnish with a julienne of prunes.

While it is called "Scotland's National Soup", it probably originated as a chicken and onion soup in France.{{cite book |last=Whitman |first=Joan |title=Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Food Encyclopedia |location=New York |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=1985}} By the late 16th century,{{cite web|website= The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/nov/23/how-to-make-the-perfect-cock-a-leekie-soup|title=How to make the perfect cock-a-leekie soup}} Retrieved October 17, 2019 it had made its way to Scotland, where the onions were replaced with leeks.Ayto, John. An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 2002 The first recipe was printed in 1598, though the name "cock-a-leekie" did not come into use until the 18th century.Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1999

Traditionally, the soup is made with broiler fowl and would not contain thickeners, or vegetables other than leeks. It would range from a clear stock to a green leek stock, with little flesh. The original cock a leekie is delicate and refreshing and difficult to make flavoursome whereas the more appetizing modern version which has more chicken, vegetable and thickener is closer to chicken soup or stew.

Cock a leekie soup, a chicken and leek consommé with a little flesh and pieces of leek, is a traditional course at Burns’ Suppers.

There are vegetarian versions which has leeks and may include mixed vegetables, chicken flavoured meat substitute and/or prunes.{{cite web|url=http://www.food.com/recipe/vegetarian-cock-a-leekie-soup-418018|title=Vegetarian Cock-A-Leekie Soup Recipe - Food.com}}