Cock-a-leekie Soup
Ingredients
- 25 g butter
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 6 leeks washed, cut lengthwise, and chopped
- 4 rashers bacon chopped
- 2 litres chicken stock
- a bouquet of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley
- 8 prunes
- fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.
- Brown chicken (whole legs, skin on). When browned, add bacon. Fry for 2 minutes, and add leeks.
- Add stock, bring to boil.
- Once boiled, reduce to low simmer. Skim surface with spoon to remove chicken residue.
- Add bouquet of herbs, prunes, and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- After the hour, remove bouquet and chicken. Discard bouquet.
- Separate the meat from the bones, return to pot.
- Serve.
Notes
There’s a “funny” story that comes along with this recipe. I was making a large version of this soup as part of a Baronial Banquet I ran in 2013. I had some friends over to help, and we pre-made 15 gallons of Cock-a-leekie soup in my large brew pot. We carried it downstairs into the Squamish November cold garage, with the garage door opened a crack, to let it cool overnight.
The next morning, I went to check on it and when I lifted the lid discovered a bulging surface which suddenly let out gasses. Awful gasses. I’d neglected to consider my large brew pot was triple-walled, and held in the heat very well. I poked at the surface and discovered the soup was bubbling. I’d fermented 15 gallons of cock-a-leekie soup.