Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Serves 6

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Since the 16^th century, Cock-a-Leekie Soup has been a savory and comforting dish.  Cock-a-Leekie Soup is Scotland’s National Soup made with leeks and chicken stock, classically thickened with barley and flavored with prunes.  This soup is scrumptious and almost stew-like. (If you wish it to be more soup-like, cut back on the amount of chicken.) The secret ingredient of prunes may sound a bit strange, but the prunes add a warm, rich flavor that is not obviously identifiable as dried plums. They cook into the soup and take on the flavor of the broth - without them this soup would be so much less!  (If you've never prepared leeks, check out the link at the bottom of this post.) You will find everything you need to make this soup at Lost River Market & Deli, our community-owned grocery store.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

7 to 8 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock

2 cups white wine or water

2 large celery ribs, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

6 leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

12 pitted prunes, quartered (about 2/3 cup packed)

½ cup barley

½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot on medium-high until hot. Add thighs; cook until browned, turning once, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with breasts.  Add broth, wine, celery, carrot, and garlic to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; scrape any browned bits from pot; return chicken to pot, reduce heat, and simmer, for 1 hour. (Wash the platter.)  Transfer chicken back to the clean platter; let cool to room temperature. Add leeks, prunes, and barley to broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thick, about 40 minutes more. Once chicken has cooled, shred meat and add it back to the pot. Stir parsley into soup, heat through, and serve.  (If making this for later, you may need to add a bit more broth or water to thin the soup a bit before reheating.)

Here are the leeks prepped and ready to go into this fabulous
soup.  How to Prepare Leeks

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens

Recipe from Bon Appétit December 2009
Modified and Husband Tested in Alice's Kitchen

We had our friends Helen and Larry over for a simple holiday dinner last night. I wanted to serve something that was rustic, delicious, healthy and meatless. I found this recipe online at http://www.epicurious.com . I modified the basic recipe using some of the suggestions of the reviewers. Everyone loved this flavorful stew and I know because we all had second helpings. Dried porcini mushrooms can be found in the produce section at Lost River Market & Deli. Dried porcini mushrooms are a bit expensive, but one package will supply enough dried porcini mushrooms to make a very flavorful broth for several batches of soups and stocks.

1/2 oz. or less dried porcini mushrooms (I used just a few of the mushrooms in the package.)
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 ½ cups chopped leeks (about 2 stalks; white and pale green parts only)
1 (8-ounce) container sliced crimini mushrooms
¼ cup cream sherry or dry sherry
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ¼ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup pearl barley
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces), trimmed, center stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups packed)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional for serving)

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in the boiling water. Allow the mushrooms to soak in the water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prep and measure out all of the remaining ingredients.
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until leeks begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add crimini mushrooms, sherry, garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove the soaked porcini mushrooms from the mushroom soaking liquid. (The liquid will be dark brown. Do not discard. It will help flavor the stew.) Chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot. Strain the soaking liquid using a coffee filter. Add the liquid to the pot. Add tomatoes with juice; stir 1 minute.
Rinse and drain the barley. Add barley and 4 cups vegetable broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add kale; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cover and simmer until kale and barley are tender, adding more broth or water by 1/4 cupfuls as needed for desired stew consistency, about 10 minutes. Serve the stew topped with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.