Scottish Chicken and Leek Soup

Remove the tough outer layers of the leeks, cutting them off at the base. Rinse the cleaned leek bottoms under cold running water and set them aside.

Place the clean leek tops at the bottom of a large pot. Position the chicken on top and add a bay leaf, minced garlic, dried plums, and 3 quarts of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat before reducing the temperature to medium-low or low and letting it simmer gently, occasionally nudging the chicken under the liquid with a pair of tongs, for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the leek bottoms by cutting off their root ends and slicing them in half lengthwise. Flip the leeks over and cut them crosswise into ½-inch slices. Transfer the sliced leeks to a large bowl and fill it with cold water so that they float. Use your hands to loosen any dirt on the leeks and then shake them gently to remove excess water. Transfer the leeks to another bowl and refrigerate them until needed.

Carefully lift the chicken with two forks, allowing any excess liquid to drain from its cavity. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a bowl. Separate the meat from the skin and bones, tearing the meat into bite-sized pieces before refrigerating it until needed.

Return the skin and bones to the pot and gently simmer them for an additional 1 hour.

Place a colander in a bowl. Use a skimmer spoon to transfer all the solids from the broth into the colander, discarding them and transferring any remaining broth back to the pot.

Add half of the sliced leeks, salt, pepper, and rice to the pot. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, skimming off any excess fat if desired and adding more water if the mixture is reducing too much.

Add the remaining sliced leeks, chicken, and thyme to the pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, tasting and adjusting the seasonings as needed before serving.