Cock-a-Leeky Soup

If you enjoyed the recent Celtic Festival at Berry and would like to try something with a Celtic flavour, try this famous scottish recipe. Just the thing to warm us up on a chilly autumn night!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized chicken or 2 large chicken quarters
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 400g of leeks
• (Optional) 100g of precooked de-stoned prunes
• 25g long grain rice
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 litres water or soup stock

Method:

1. Put chicken into a large saucepan with the water. Add bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour (top up if the chicken is exposed).
3. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the sliced leeks and rice and continue to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Skin the chicken and cut the meat from the bones. Coarsely chop the chicken meat.
5. Remove the bay leaves from the pan and add the chicken meat along with most of the chopped parsley.
6. Simmer for about 5 minutes more and adjust the seasoning to suit.

Serve hot with your favourite crusty bread and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley.