Cock-a-leekie soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 2 chicken thigh and leg joints, about 375 g
- 500 g leeks thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
- 3 smoked streaky bacon rashers diced
- 2.5 litres chicken stock
- 75 gstoned prunes quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large thyme sprig
- 50 g long-grain rice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chicken joints and fry on one side until golden. Turn them over and add the white sliced leeks and bacon. Fry until the chicken is golden all over and the leeks and bacon just beginning to colour.
- Pour in the stock, then add the prunes, bay leaf and thyme, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally until the chicken is falling off the bones.
- Lift the chicken, bay leaf and thyme sprigs out of the soup with a slotted spoon and put on to a plate. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken then cut the meat into pieces. Return the chicken to the pan, adding the rice and green leek slices. Simmer for 10 minutes until the rice and leeks are tender.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
For cream of chicken soup, omit the prunes and rice and use only 2 litres (3½ pints) stock. Add 250 g (8 oz) diced potato then bring to the boil and simmer for 1½ hours. Discard the herbs and purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Stir in 150 ml (¼ pint) milk and 150 ml (¼ pint) double cream. Reheat and serve with croûtons
