Robert Burns Night Dinner ~ Slow Cooker Cock-a-Leekie Soup

A lovely soup to warm the cockles of one's heart and remember the late poet, Robert Burns. 

"But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, it's bloom is shed;
Or, like the snow-fall in the river,
A moment white, then melts forever."

- Robert Burns, Tam O'Shanter 


Slow Cooker Cock-a-Leekie Soup

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4  boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 leeks, washed and sliced

3 - 5 carrots, chopped

1/3 cup barley

1 onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme or fresh springs
salt and pepper to taste
2 boxes (900ml each box) low sodium chicken broth

1 shot of Scotch whisky
dried prunes, diced 
3 to 4 julienne slices of lemon peel - optional

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Add the leeks, carrots, barley, onion, bay leaf, thyme and prunes to slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth over all the ingredients. Add the whisky, prunes and lemon peel. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. When done, remove the chicken breasts and shred each one. Return the meat back to the soup. Serve with oatcakes or a rustic bread. 

Notes: You may placed the diced prunes on top when serving rather than in the soup.

Cooking with Beer

This is a kitschy cookbook that makes me think of Homer Simpson... I wonder why? The recipes are straightforward which look and sound quite edible and may be enjoyed anytime of the year providing one has beer on hand. This book covers everything from appetizers, meat (beef, lamb, pork and poultry), seafood, sides and soups. It is 47 pages and comes with a metric conversion chart. Some recipes to note are the Malty Maple Cornbread, Polenta Triangles with Amber Ale, Cheddar Leek Strata, and the Wisconsin Edam and Beer Spread. What more can be said about such a cookbook that is presented in such a way. 

Beer Cheese Dip

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Makes about 3 cups

2 cups grated (shredded) Cheddar cheese

2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley the Original Ranch© Salad Dressing & Seasoning mix 

1/2 to 3/4 cup beer

Chopped green onion

Additional Cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine Cheddar cheese, cream cheese and salad dressing & seasoning mix. Gradually stir in beer until mixture is to desired consistency. Garnish with green onion and additional Cheddar cheese. Serve with pretzels or assorted fresh vegetables, if desired.

Notes: I have looked around E-town for the Hidden Valley Ranch Salad dressing and seasoning mix and have discovered none. I chalk it up to being an American product. Therefore a substitution of something comparable will have to be used. 

Vegetable-Barley Pilaf

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Makes 4 servings

3/4 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup beer

3/4 cup sliced yellow summer squash

1/2 cup quick cooking barley

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray or oil. Add onion, celery and mushrooms; cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

2. Stir in beer, squash, barley, carrots, parsley, basil, bouillon granules and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD