Scottish Cock-a-Leekie Soup - Quick Version

 

When it comes to soup there's Heinz and there's Baxters, and there is a reason for that, Heinz do tomato soup and chicken soup really well. Thanx Yanks and we love it, would you want anything else but Heinz Chicken soup when poorly sick? 'No' I hear you say.. But Baxters, well give them and their land it's due, Scotland has the soups, probably better than anywhere else, from Cullen Skink to Highland Broth to Cock-a-Leekie and Scotch Broth. Scotland nails soups, The family of Baxters followed the recipes and canned soups and broths akin to their Moray roots, and their soups are the bar. Baxters even make Consomme, and do you know anyone posh enough to serve that too...

Some years ago I bought a can of Baxters Minestrone Soup, and even tho they include the Devil's vegetable, yes, celery, it's still by miles the best on offer, apart from homemade that is. Anyway sat at work one day staring at the computer and facetube I fish the gruesome veg out piece by piece, and there was eighteen pieces of the vile veg. Eighteen I have you. I brought up Baxters web site and remonstrated  that had I wanted celery soup I would of bought celery soup and how four or five pieces is acceptable in their lovely Minestrone but unwanted, further that I felt their cooking department had fallen down terribly. Beelzebub's broth both insidious and ruination to lunch befell me that day, and downcast to hell I hurtled.

Two things happened. A few days later four one pound Baxter vouchers appeared in the post, even though I'd not added my address - so someone had looked up the domain for the work email address, not that the local Spar would accept them, but the thought was there, thanks. And I've never since seen many whole lumps of the Devil's vegetable in their tinned Minestrone since...

Meanwhile back at making Cock a Leekie, take two leeks and chop off the greener bits, check for any grit or dirt, lob them into a pan of boiling water, simmer for fifteen mins or so, add your chicken fillet, add a chicken stock pot and a veg cube. Then fish out and discard the leeks, put the piece of chicken to one side. add the remaining leeks chopped into spoon sized pieces, add a finely chopped carrot, finely chopped onion, simmer for a few minutes then add a chicken fillet which you have cut into small pieces, add a handful of long grain rice, season. Simmer until everything is cooked and enjoy.