December 2018 Recipe of the Month

Cock-a-Leekie

Nothing like chicken soup on a cold day! Warms your kitchen and your soul.
A dish I imagine my grandmother making.
From Jan S.

1 whole chicken
About
 10 cups of water
1 large onion finely chopped
Garlic, if desired
4 large leeks or more depending on size
2 large carrots
2 bay leaves
Optional: 2 tbs of chicken bouillon, barley, rice, small pasta, dumplings

 

Put the whole chicken, carrots, leek tops (reserving the whites of leeks for later), bay leaves, & chicken bouillon & garlic (if using) in a large pot with about 10 cups of water or until chicken is covered. Bring to the boil, add salt and pepper and simmer for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove the bay leaf and leek greens, discard. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Add the barley if using and cook for 15 minutes, then chop the white part of the leek into chunky circles and add to the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes more until the leeks and barley are soft.  Pick the chicken meat from the bones & add to broth.