Hearty chicken and barley soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Cobram Estate Roast Onion Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra to serve

• 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced

• 2 sticks celery, thinly sliced, reserve celery leaves for garnish

• 1 carrot, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 4 sprigs thyme

• 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, diced into 2cm pieces

• 250g bacon bones

• 300g root vegetables, diced (we used a combination of potato and sweet potato)

• 1 cup pearl barley

• 2.5L salt reduced chicken stock

• Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

• 100g baby spinach leaves

• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves

• Crusty bread, to serve

Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan. Add leek, celery, carrot, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until leek is soft. Add chicken, bacon bones, root vegetables, barley, stock and 1L water. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until barley is almost tender.
Remove bacon bones, and discard. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in spinach. Spoon into bowls and top with reserved celery leaves, parsley leaves and an extra drizzle of oil. Serve with bread on the side.

Recipe provided by Cobram Estate