Ingredients
- A couple of litres of good stock (like 6 of those gel stock pots - 2 as-is and then you'll use 4 to make liquid stock. A lot of the flavour comes from this! so use yummy stock), alternatively (and super tasty) - the drippings and fat from a roast chicken
- 4-6 skinless, boneless thighs (if you want to use boned thighs, you can, but I'd recommend de-boning and cutting into bits at some point in the cooking process. No skin, though, it's just really soft and bleh after a couple of hours of simmering)
- 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- A hunk of broccoli, or two handfuls of tenderstem broccoli if you feel like bein' fancy
- Mixed herbs - Italian herbs, use your preference to mix any blend of basil, oregano, parsley, bay leaf, marjoram, rosemary, and/or thyme etc
- Butter or margerine
In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, put a tablespoon or so of butter (or some chicken fat) and cook the leeks until softened on a medium heat, then remove from the pan and set aside. Do not wash pan, keep all that nice flavour in there.
Cut up your chicken thighs and brown in the pan you just removed the leeks from. Remove from pan, set aside. Again, don't wash the pan.
Add 1/4 cup chicken fat (or a good quality gel stock pot) and 1/4 cup of plain flour to the pan, stir occasionally and let it simmer for 2-5 minutes. It'll brown some, use a whisk to prevent burning.
Boil water (in a kettle if you have it, if not set it to boil while you are simmering the chicken fat/stock above). Add the drippings in to the pan of stock/fat at this stage if you have any. If you used chicken fat, just add a scant 1/2 pint of boiling water at this stage while whisking. If you used a stock pot, mix up 1/2 pint of hot liquid stock per packet instructions and add that instead.
Add the leeks and chicken back to the pan. Add more water or stock if desired - I usually add enough to fill 3/4 of the pan. Add salt, pepper, and mixed herbs to taste. You'll probably want a good couple tablespoons, total, of your herb mix. It'll taste a little watery at this stage but that's okay cuz...
You're gonna simmer it for a good 2 hours. Anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours, really, but at least 2 hours is best for the flavours to deepen.
Add your broccoli right at the end and simmer for between 2-10 minutes, depending on if you want the broccoli al-dente or soft.
Serve with crusty tiger or giraffe bread, or some catshead biscuits.
