Cock-a-Leekie Soup

I bought a bit bunch of leeks at the last farmers market. They make a delicious flavor base for this soup. Cock-a-leekie is a traditional Scottish soup, with many variations on the recipe; this is my take on it. You can cook this with bone-in chicken if you like, you just need to take the meat off the bones and discard them before serving. Despite the apparent simplicity of the recipe, this soup is rich in flavor and very warming.

2 Tbsp butter
5-6 fat leeks, thinly sliced
2 lbs boneless chicken thighs or leftover cooked chicken meat
1/2 cup pearl barley
10 prunes, chopped
Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar (optional, but I like it)

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the sliced leeks and saute, stirring frequently, over medium heat until very tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken, barley, prunes, and enough stock to cover generously. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the barley is tender, about 20-30 minutes.

Scoop the chicken pieces out of the pot and break them up or shred them with a fork, then return to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the white wine vinegar if using.

Serves 4-6.