Cock-a-leekie

Instructions

1. Put the 1 bone-in chicken thigh into a small heavy saucepan, skin side down, and pour over 350 ml of chicken stock. Add the bay leaf and a very generous grinding of black pepper, the pepper is the character of the soup. Bring slowly to the boil over medium heat and skim off any grey foam that rises.
2. Lower the heat until the surface only just trembles, cover with the lid ajar and poach for 30 minutes. The broth should never boil hard, or it will turn cloudy and the meat will tighten.
3. Rinse 25 g of pearl barley under cold water until it runs clear, stir it into the pan and simmer, still barely bubbling, for a further 25 minutes, until the grains are plump and tender but still have a little bite. Top up with a splash of hot water if the level drops below the chicken.