Cock-A-Leekie Soup

Wednesday dinner is usually soup, our schedules get a bit crazy & its something we can make ahead & grab when we have a minute… tonight was no different.


Tonight's soup was Cock-A-Leekie, a nice simple but incredibly flavorful soup, one of Jeff's favorites!


Ingredients:
  8 slices Bacon, cooked crisp, diced
  1 lb boneless/skinless Chicken Breast, diced

  2 1/2 cups Leeks, whites & some greens, 
       quartered lengthwise & sliced thin

  1 cup shredded/grated Carrot

  1 cup diced Celery

  1/2 cup Barley

  8 cups Water*

  2 Tbl + 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken*

     * Optionally: 8 cups of chicken broth/stock of your choice

Dry Spices:

  2 tsp Sea Salt

  1/4 tsp Whole Peppercorns

  1 Bay Leaf
Fresh Spices:
  2 Tbl fresh Thyme leaves, chopped slightly to release flavor
  2 Tbl fresh Parsley, chopped fine

Directions:

  Cook Bacon to very crisp (if not already cooked), pat dry to remove grease/fat, dice.  Grind dry spices together with a Mortar & Pestle.  Put all ingredients into a soup pot and cook for 30 minutes.  At this point if you'd like to keep it warm (for days like our crazy Wednesdays) you can transfer to a Crock Pot & leave it on Low.  Suggest enjoying it with a good bread, like this Sourdough.