Cock-a-leekie! AKA Chicken and leek soup.
Nana got this recipe from Peggy Lepore, who lived a couple doors down the street. Mr Lepore and Boppa made wine together and the families spent a lot of time together–before I was born and after. I remember Peggy bringing some of this soup over when I was staying in Hayward when Nana was sick with the cancer and I liked it so much she wrote down the recipe for me. I later found Nana’s own copy in her recipe box.
Nana on the left in stripes and poncho, Peggy on the right in glasses and yellow sweater.
This is pretty much the perfect sickbed soup. Or the perfect weeknight soup. Or the perfect I’m-getting-a-cold-soup. I know for sure that it’s the perfect little kid soup. I think my kids drank gallons of the stuff over the years. I must’ve drank a gallon or two myself.
Ingreds
What I think is cute that is on Nana’s older recipe card, the directions say to grate the carrots and potato using a box grater. On the later card, which I got sometime in the mid-90′s, the instructions tell me to do it all in my Cuisinart–using the grating tool. Then to change it out and to chop the parsley using the chopping tool. Those old ladies sure did embrace their modern conveniences.
Saute leeks and sprinkle on some flour.
The other thing that I found extremely cute is that on the recipe card it calls for “a glass of wine”. Not a cup of wine. Not 8 ounces of wine. But a glass of wine. Ok.
I figured the kind of day I had, I could use one too. One glass for the pot, one glass for the cook. By the way, don’t use something sweet here–you want a dryer sort of white wine like Chardonnay or Chablis, Chenin Blanc or even a white Bordeaux.
After adding the liquid, just dump the rest in. That's it.
Basically, after you’ve cooked down the flour for a few minutes, add the stock and wine, then all the vegetables. Turn the heat to low, season, and cover for half an hour and go read a book. Come back and dinner’s ready! See why I say it’s the perfect weeknight/kid/sickbed dinner?
Weird name, good soup.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch leeks, washed, split and sliced
- 1-2 carrots, grated
- 1-2 potatoes, grated
- handful parsley, chopped
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 large can chicken broth
- 1 glass white wine
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, or any leftover chicken, cut up or shredded
- 1/2 cube butter
- nutmeg
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Split and wash the leeks. Discard the dark green parts and slice the white parts into half-circles.
- Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium low heat.
- Add leeks and sauté, stirring often.
- When leeks are limp, add flour and stir. Do not brown or scorch.
- Add chicken broth and wine.
- Add carrots, potatoes and parsley to soup.
- Add chicken.
- Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Cover, turn heat to low and let simmer for approximately 30-40 minutes.
- Serving tip from Mrs. Lepore: When serving remove desired amount and add some cream or milk. Heat carefully. The soup will keep well if the cream isn't added to the whole pot in the beginning.
- (Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don't)
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sure to cure what ails you. (the soup I mean)