Cock-a-Leekie with Puy Lentils and Thyme

Name: Cock-a-Leekie with Puy Lentils and Thyme
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish; salt and ground black pepper; 8 ready-to-eat prunes, cut into strips; 900 ml/1½ pints/3¾ cups good chicken stock; 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts; a few sprigs of fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 2 leeks, cut into 5cm/2in fine julienne strips; 115 g/4 oz/½ cup Puy lentils

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Lentil Cookbook

By Ghillie Basan

Published 2016

About

This chicken-based lentil soup follows an ancient Scottish recipe. It would have originally been made with veal to flavour the broth, but this version is given more earthiness by adding pretty blue-green Puy lentils instead. The lentils retain their shape after cooking, providing a satisfying flavour and texture.

Ingredients

2 leeks, cut into 5cm/2in fine julienne strips
115 g/4 oz/½ cup

Soup
Gluten-free

Method

Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil and cook the julienne of leeks for 1–2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain again and set aside.
Pick over the lentils to check for any small stones or grit. Put into a pan with the bay leaf and thyme and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 25–30 minutes until tender. Drain and r