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A Scottish Soup For St.Andrews's Feast Day by Dana Jacobi for The American Institute for Cancer Research

 

St. Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland and his feast day is November 30, giving Scotsmen and anyone else who so chooses an excuse to eat Cock-a-Leekie soup, a good every-day fall and winter soup as well as a dish for festive occasions.

This traditional Scottish soup is almost a stew, starring chicken, leeks and prunes. The prunes may seem an odd addition, but they add a rich, deep flavor that cannot be duplicated with another fruit or a vegetable.

The soup is said to date back to medieval times, and might have been served as two dishes - chicken and broth. While the dish has always contained prunes, early versions may have used raisins as well.

Whatever the occasion, any soup is a good choice for ease, health and comfort. Since soups are often lower in fat and calories than other entrées, you get a meal relatively low in calories that leaves you feeling full.

Soups can make a balanced meal if they contain hearty amounts of grain (like pasta, rice, or barley), vegetables and protein (poultry, seafood, lentils, or beans), and if the serving portion is adequate. If that sounds like too much work, start with a commercial soup and "doctor" it up by adding canned beans (first rinsed and drained), leftover or frozen vegetables, cooked meat, or whatever is missing from the balanced picture.

Chicken soup has been used as a cold remedy since the twelfth century. Recent research suggests that generations of doctors and grandmothers have been right in thinking that chicken soup is an effective remedy. Studies show that chicken soup may contain several anti-inflammatory substances. Cold symptoms such as coughs and congestion can be caused by inflammation in the bronchial tubes. Sipping hot chicken soup and breathing in the steam also helps with congestion.

A good homemade soup, such as the recipe that follows, can make a significant contribution to your nutrition and health while at the same time waving the flag for Scotland.

If you fear the prunes will trigger the “eeuuww” factor with your family, especially children, you could remove the prunes (ideally, for another use) before serving. Or let each individual try it first and make the final decision.

Cock-a-Leekie Soup - Makes 8 servings.

• 1 1/2 lbs. each skinless chicken breasts and thighs
• 4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp. thyme
• 3 sprigs parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced (white and some green)
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup pitted, dried prunes cut in half
• 2 cups low-fat milk

In a stock pot, combine chicken, broth, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 25 minutes, or until chicken is tender, skimming fat as chicken cooks. Remove chicken, let it cool and, removing the bones, cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Discard bones, bay leaf and parsley.

Add chicken and remaining ingredients except milk to the pot. Cover and simmer gently until barley is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in milk, heat and serve.

Per serving: 162 calories, 3 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 22 g. carbohydrate, 13 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 312 mg. sodium.

AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, a free service that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a range of education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $75 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR’s Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

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RECIPE POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2005

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