No.165 Orcadian Oatmeal Soup

This is a rather unusual recipe in that there isn’t much to say about it. It is a hearty, slightly sweet soup thickened with oatmeal. It cooks quickly thanks to grating the vegetables and is relatively inexpensive. Like many Scottish recipes the ingredients are humble and the fare is simple. Perhaps this is more representative of Scottish Cooking than the often-dreaded haggis.

Time: 35 Minutes

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Straight Forward

1 Leek

125g of Carrots

125g of Swede

500ml of Vegetable or Chicken Stock

500ml of Full Fat Milk

2 tablespoons of Butter or Vegetable Oil

50g of Oatmeal

Salt and Pepper

1. Grate the carrots and the swede. Cut the roots and the upper most greens of the leeks off. Length Wise cut a line from the centre of the leek to the outside. Then cut across to make thin ribbons of leek.
2. Add the vegetables and oatmeal to a large stock pot with the butter. Sweat for 5-10 minutes ensuring the leeks do not burn and only slightly caramelise.
3. Add the stock and cook until the vegetables have softened. Then add the milk.
4. Continue cooking on a low heat until the soup thickens. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with extra oatmeal or rolled oats as desired.