Cock-a-Leeky Soup Recipe

Ingredients for Cock-a-Leeky Soup:

• 1 small free-range chicken
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 2 or three sprigs of thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lb (450 g) leeks
• 2 oz (56 g|) long grain rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 pints (1.1 litres) water

Method  for Cock-a-Leeky Soup:

1. Put  1 small chicken or 2 large chicken quarters into a large saucepan with 2 pints (1.1 litres) of water. Add the bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to the boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour.
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 the chopped parsley.
6. Simmer for about 5 minutes more and adjust the seasoning.

This Cock-a-Leeky Soup Recipe makes enough for at least 4 good helpings. Serve hot.

The traditional soup recipe above can be tweaked. For a richer soup, add 4 oz (112 g) of stoned prunes at the beginning.You could replace the rice with small pieces of pasta or broken spaghetti.

Instead of using a whole chicken, you could use chicken pieces, thighs, wings or drumsticks. The variations might upset the purists but home cooking is all about how you like it.