The Scottish Arms’ Cock-A-Leekie Pie
If ever a people knew how to make it through the cold winter months, it’s the Scots. And if ever there was a dish to chase away the chill, it’s the Cock-A-Leekie Pie at The Scottish Arms, where a few tweaks to owner Alastair Nisbet’s grandmother’s recipe (like swapping prunes and potatoes for cream and wine) resulted in a hearty chicken stew studded with leeks and capped with rich, flaky pastry – and transformed this Scottish classic into a standout.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups white wine
- 12 Tbsp. 1½ sticks butter, divided
- 2 leeks cleaned and chopped
- 1 cup flour
- 2¼ quarts (9 cups) heavy cream
- 1 box frozen puff pastry sheets thawed
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- In a large stock pot, combine the chicken stock and white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the chicken breasts and poach for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid; reserve the liquid. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken.
- In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the leeks and sweat until just tender.
- In a large sauté pan, make a thick roux by melting 8 tablespoons butter, then adding the flour and stirring constantly until lightly golden.
- Add the cream to the poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Whisk in the roux and reduce to low heat.
- Add the leeks and shredded chicken and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to the called-for temperature on the box of puff pastry.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Fill soup bowls to within ½ inch from the rim with hot Leekie.
- Top each bowl with a square of puff pastry and brush each with melted butter.
- Bake per the instructions on the puff pastry box or until the pastry is golden brown.
- Serve hot.
