Ingredients

• 4 chickens
• cut into portions
• 1 leek
• roughly chopped
• 1 celery stick
• roughly chopped
• 1 onion
• roughly chopped
• 1 head of garlic
• cut in half crossways
• sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion
• finely chopped
• 4 large leeks
• finely sliced
• 2 large potatoes
• peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 bouquet garni
• 8 small rock oysters
• 250ml/9fl oz fish stock
• snipped chives
• to garnish

Directions

• First make the chicken stock. Place the chickens
• chopped vegetables
• garlic and herbs in a large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface
• then leave to simmer for 1½-2 hours.
• Strain the stock through a colander set in a bowl
• then pass through a sieve. You need 700ml/1¼ pints of stock for the soup; keep the remainder for another use.
• Remove the 'oysters' (the small oyster-shaped piece of meat above the thigh) from the chicken back portions and leave to one side for use later as a garnish. Discard all the remaining contents of the colander.
• For the soup
• melt the butter with the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and slowly cook without colouring. After a couple of minutes add the leeks
• then cover and sweat for about five minutes over a low heat. Do not allow the vegetables to colour.
• Add the potatoes and bouquet garni and cook uncovered for two minutes
• then pour in the hot stock. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are soft.
• Remove the bouquet garni
• then carefully blitz the soup in a food processor or blender. Pour into a bowl and set over ice to cool. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
• Remove the rock oysters from their shells and lightly poach in the fish stock. Drain and allow to cool.
• To serve
• place the sea oysters and chicken 'oysters' in large soup bowls and ladle the soup on top. Finish with a sprinkling of chives.