Traditional Chicken Soup

Servings: 6-8

Cooking time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 4 leeks
• 1 large bunch soup celery (or 1 full head of celery)
• 3 carrots
• 7 waxy potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• Large bunch flat leaf parsley
• 6 – 7 dessert spoons of soup mix (wash well)
• Chicken stock

Stock

• 1 whole chicken (ideally organic, free range)
• 1 onion peeled and cut in quarters
• 2 bay leaves
• Few stalks fresh parsley or thyme
• 6 peppercorns
• Good pinch salt
• Few sticks of celery washed and cut in half
• 7 litres Cold Water

Method

1. Begin by making a chicken stock. Wash the chicken well and put in a large pan and cover with cold water.
2. Add the stock vegetables, herbs, peppercorns and salt.
3. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for approximately 2 hours. Skim often to remove any scum from the surface.
4. Remove the chicken and strain the stock through a fine sieve.
5. To make the soup, heat a large pan on a gentle heat and add a good splash of olive oil. Peel and chop the onions finely and add to the pan with a good pinch of salt.
6. Wash and chop the celery and carrots finely and add these. Add more oil as needed.
7. Peel and chop the garlic finely and add. Then peel and dice the potatoes and add.
8. Wash the leeks really well, chop finely and add to the pan.
9. Cook on a medium / gentle heat until the vegetables are softened.
10. Then add the stock and the soup mix and simmer gently for about an hour.
11. Add lots of freshly chopped parsley to finish. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Notes

Keeps well in the fridge for a few days. Freezes perfectly.