This soup has been made in Scotland for hundreds of years. It’s a mixture of beef and chicken, well-flavoured with leeks, and with the addition of prunes. The prunes are not always used nowadays.

 

2 lb ( 1 kg.) shin beef

1 large chicken

2 lb (1 kg.) leeks

18 prunes

salt and pepper

If using beef, put it into a large pan with 4 pints ( 2 litres) water, cover and simmer for 2 hours before adding the chicken. If not, put the chicken into hot stock to start the soup. Clean the leeks and put in half of them tied into a bundle. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the prunes and continue simmering for 30 minutes and then remove the chicken (and beef if used). Slice the remaining leeks and add to the pan. Boil for 2 minutes. Season well. Discard the bundle of leeks. Serve a slice each of beef and chicken in soup plates and cover with broth, sliced leeks and prunes. For convenient serving, cut the sliced beef and chicken into small pieces.