Delia Chicken And Leek Soup Recipes

LEEK, ONION AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Begin by trimming the leeks, discarding the tough outer layer. Now split them in half lengthways and slice them quite finely, then wash them thoroughly in two or three changes of water. Drain well. In a large, thick-based saucepan, gently melt the butter, then add the leeks, onions and potatoes, stirring them all round with a wooden spoon so they get a nice coating of butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and let the vegetables sweat over a very low heat for about 15 minutes. After that, add the stock and milk, bring to simmering point, cover and let the soup simmer very gently for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft - if you have the heat too high the milk in it may cause it to boil over. Now you can put the whole lot into a blender - leave it to cool a little first - and blend to a purée. If you have to blend the soup in batches, make sure you have a bowl to hand to put the first batch into. Now return the soup to the saucepan and reheat gently, tasting to check the seasoning. Add a swirl of cream or crème fraîche before serving and sprinkle with freshly snipped chives or parsley.

CHICKEN, POTATO, AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken, water, and chicken broth in a large, heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid has reduced by about half, chicken is no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove chicken and allow to cool. Strain stock and set aside.
• Add butter to the stockpot and melt over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in cream, potatoes, and reserved stock; cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile debone the chicken and dice the meat.
• Add diced chicken to the soup and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes more.

COCK-A-LEEKIE (CHICKEN AND LEEK SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat all ingredients except leeks to boiling in large stockpot or Dutch oven.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Add leeks.
• Bring back to a boil; reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 15 minutes.
• Remove chicken from broth and cool slightly; remove chicken from bones and skin.
• Skim fat from both and remove bay leaf.
• Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces and return to broth.
• Heat about 5 minutes; serve.

COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP (SCOTTISH CHICKEN AND LEEK SOUP)

Steps:

• Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Set chicken aside while prepping the other ingredients.
• Put leek greens, carrot peels, celery leaves, garlic, parsley stems, thyme, bay leaf and star anise at bottom of a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the peppercorns, and pour in 8 cups cold water, or enough to just submerge the chicken.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and partly cover the pot. Cook until chicken is cooked through and very tender, 45 to 55 minutes.
• While the chicken cooks, thickly slice 3 of the leek whites into 1/2-inch coins. Thinly slice the remaining leek white; set thinly and thickly sliced leeks aside separately.
• When the chicken is tender, using tongs, transfer to a large bowl or plate to cool. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discarding vegetables and herbs.
• Wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to medium-high heat. Add butter, letting it melt. Add the thick leek coins (save the thinly sliced leek for garnish), a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer leek whites to a bowl (they can go on top of the chicken if there's room).
• Pour broth back into the pot. Bring broth to a brisk simmer, and stir in barley, carrots and celery. Let broth simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by a third, and the barley and vegetables are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
• While the broth is simmering, use a fork or your fingers to shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones.
• Once the barley and vegetables are tender, stir in shredded chicken, sautéed leek whites and the prunes, and simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the prunes to soften (some might disintegrate). Taste and add salt, if needed. To serve, garnish with thinly sliced leek whites and parsley leaves.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH LEEKS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Combine the stock and leeks, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add the rice or bulgur, and continue to simmer until the grain is cooked through, 15 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
• Beat together the eggs and lemon juice until frothy in a medium bowl.
• Just before serving, making sure that the broth isn't boiling, gradually add 2 cups to the egg and lemon mixture while beating vigorously with a whisk to prevent the eggs from curdling. Turn off the heat under the soup, pour the egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stir well and serve, adding a bit of pepper to each bowl and garnishing with chopped fresh parsley or dill.

CREAM OF CHICKEN & LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add leek, celery & carrot and cook for 6-7 minutes or until soft then remove to plate.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until foaming, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in cream and stock.
• Return to heat and stir until mixture comes to the boil.
• Return vegetables to saucepan.
• Using a stick blender process until thick and creamy - or use a food processor.
• Return to heat and add chicken and parsley heat through and serve.

ST DAVID'S LEEK & CHICKEN HOTPOT

Steps:

• Cook the veg: Toss the potatoes, leeks and carrots together in a shallow microwave-safe dish with some salt and pepper. Pour over the stock. Cover the dish with cling film and pierce a few times with the point of a knife. Cook on High for 10 minutes until the potatoes are just starting to become tender.
• Cook the chicken: Remove the dish from the microwave, peel off the cling film and stir in the chicken. Cover the dish with fresh cling film and pierce again, then cook on High for 6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and succulent.
• Finish the dish: Remove the dish from the microwave, uncover and stir in the cream and parsley plus black pepper to taste. Serve straight from the dish, with bread to mop up the juices.