Polish barley soup (Krupnik)

1. Bring the chicken to the boil with the cold water, bay leaves, allspice and the halved onion, skim off the foam and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile rinse the pearl barley and toast it in the butter in a small pan for 2 minutes, stirring – this gives it a nutty flavour.

3. Lift out the meat, bone it and cut into bite-sized pieces; add the barley to the broth and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, parsley root and celeriac, season with salt and cook for another 20 minutes, until everything is tender and the barley has thickened the broth slightly.

5. Return the meat, season with pepper and adjust the seasoning; you can remove the onion.

6. Serve piping hot, generously sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Tip: Krupnik gets its name from the Polish word "krupa" (groats); it's a filling, restorative winter soup – often made for anyone who is ill or recovering.