Chicken & barley soup

Method

Serves 4. (You will need the bones and leftovers from a roast chicken for this recipe.)

In a large pot, fry the finely chopped bacon, leek and garlic with a drizzle of olive oil.

Once browned, add the chicken carcass and meat, along with the chicken stock.

Leave to simmer on low for at least one hour, but ideally 2 to 3 hours, to extract as much flavour as possible from the chicken. Top up with water as needed.

Strain the bones, then bring the soup back to the boil. Add the chopped carrots and barley, reduce to simmer for another 25 minutes until the barley is almost cooked through.

Add the kale and zucchini for the last 5 minutes, simmering until they are just tender.

Preheat the oven grill. When the soup is almost ready, top the sourdough with the cheese and grill until the bread is crispy and the cheese is gooey.

Serve the soup hot, topping with the sliced cheesy croutons and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.