What's Cookin'?

Although Scottish foods share much with British cuisine, their traditional Scottish dishes are some of the best in the British Isles.
Two typical Scottish favorites are Cock-A-Leekie Soup, considered to be the national soup in Scotland, and Rumbledethumps, similar to Irish Colcannon, and often called the Scottish version of “bubble and squeak.”

Cock-A-Leekie Soup
1 (2.5- to 3-lb.) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
1 small potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pitted, dried prunes, snipped
2 cups light cream or milk
4 cups water
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Sliced leeks, optional
Rinse chicken pieces.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine chicken, water, carrot, celery , onion, parsley, salt, white pepper and bay leaf. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or till chicken is tender.
Remove chicken pieces from broth. Skim off fat. Remove bay leaf and parsley.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and bones. Cut up chicken.
Add chicken, leeks, potato, barley, and prunes to broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or till potato is tender.
Stir in cream or milk. Heat through. Garnish each serving with additional sliced leeks, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Rumbledethumps
(Celtic Potato, Cabbage and Cheese)
3 lbs potato, peeled and cut into small even size pieces
12-16 large Savoy cabbage leafs, washed, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
8 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
4 oz. butter
4-8 Tbsp. milk
Pepper
8 oz. Scottish cheddar cheese or local cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 450 if you wish to bake this. Otherwise, this dish can be grilled.
Lightly grease a heat resistant serving or baking dish.
Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until soft.
At the same time, boil the Savoy cabbage for 5 minutes maximum. Remove from heat, drain and allow to cool in a colander.
Drain the potatoes and add the butter, milk, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher or hand held mixer, mix and mash the potatoes thoroughly until smooth.
Add the cabbage and chives to the mashed potatoes. Gently mix together.
Pile the Rumbledethumps mixture into your serving or baking dish. Scatter the grated cheddar cheese over the top and either bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven or put under a hot grill for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
 Serve immediately with grilled or roast meat, casseroles, stews or roast chicken. Serves 4 to 8.
What’s Cookin’? will run every Wednesday in 2008. A different country’s foods will be featured each week. Next week: Seychelles.