Ladled course (4)
I believe the answer is:
soup
'ladled course' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for soup that I've seen before include "Preliminary course" , "Eskimo people" , "Opus (anag) - typical starter" , "Cock-a-leekie, for example" , "Eg, mulligatawny" .)