Recipe: Cock-a-leekie Soup

Cock a leekie soup

This is a classic Scottish soup perfect for a cold January night.  The prunes add some sweetness to the soup. I used the leftover stock vegetables to make a vegetable soup to reduce waste. So two soups from one!

Recipe: Cock-a-leekie Soup

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Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil I used coconut oil
• 1 medium chicken jointed into chunks
• 180 g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 celery sticks chopped
• 2-3 leeks washed and cut into thick slices (reserve the tops for later)
• 2 bay leaf
• ½ bunch thyme sprigs
• 15-20 stoned prunes

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chicken in batches.
• Cook the chicken until brown.
• Remove chicken and set aside.
• Add bacon, carrots, celery and leek.
• Fry until brown.
• Add a splash of cold water and boil, scraping the bottom of the pan.
• Return the chicken to the pan.
• Add herbs and cover with cold water.
• Simmer until chicken is tender.
• Remove the chicken to a plate, cover with foil and leave to cool.
• Strain the soup into a clean saucepan and discard all the other ingredients. (I used the veggies to make another soup to save waste)
• Leave to stand for a few mins and skim off any fat that rises to the top.
• Pull the meat from the chicken bones and tear into large chunks.
• Simmer the soup adding the chicken, remaining leeks and prunes for around 20 mins.
• Season to taste.
• Serve with fresh bread.