Chicken Soup

In this recipe I will show you how to make the delicious hearty Chicken Soup as well as a delicious healing Chicken Broth for those who might not feel well enough to have the hearty soup.

I always make soup in a heavy cast iron pot.  This can go from the stove, to the table, to the refrigerator.  

Mirepoix is a mixture aromatics (onion, carrots and celery (or celeriac)) used as a base in soups, stews and many different dishes. I added garlic for this dish.  It is the French version of the Spanish Sufrito and Italian Suffritto which usually also include diced belle peppers.

Ingredients:                           Difficulty Rating: Easy to Medium 
     
   Mirepoix  (Sufrito/Suffritto)

• 5 organic carrots, sliced into slim circles
• 4 stalks of celery, sliced into slim circles
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• Stir the Mirepoix  to be sure it doesn't burn.
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Red pepper flakes (optional and to taste)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• About 8 cups of cold water, you may need more if you are using a bigger pot or your chicken is small.
• 1 1/2 cups white wine.  Not cooking wine and not a wine you wouldn't drink.  You are cooking with it so it has to be good.
• 1 small chicken.  If D'artangen brand is available, I always buy that because my friend, the super-chef Kempe Minifie recommends it.  If it isn't available I buy another brand. 
• White capped mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups medium wide egg noodles

Preparation:
Heat the oil and butter in the cast iron pot.
Add the sliced carrots and celery.  When they begin to soften add the onion and when the onion gets limp, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (optional), salt and pepper.
When the garlic is translucent add the water and wine, and bring it to a full boil.  
Stir the mirepoix often
Add the chicken.  
Bring it back to a boil, 
At this point I cover it and put it in my 'Wonder Bag' away from the stove.  In the Wonder Bag it will cook by itself.  I let it sit for about 2 hours.
OR
Lower the heat, cover and stir occasionally.  You don't want the bottom to burn. Let it cook for about 2 hours.

After about 1 1/2 hours, get a smaller pot and fill to 3/4 with cold water. Bring it to a boil, then add noodles.  Let them cook to al dente, drain and set them aside.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth over them to keep them moist and to let the chicken flavor soak in.

To make up for evaporation of the liquid, or for the 1 1/2 cups removed for the noodles, add the same amount of cold water and wine (50% of each) back to the broth.  Let it cook for about 1/2 hour more, then remove the chicken.

Remove the skin and as much fat as possible from the chicken.  Tear the meat into pieces, whatever size makes you happy and add it back to the chicken together with the mushrooms.

Unless all the soup will be eaten in 1 sitting, don't add all the noodles at once because by later that day they will have soaked in the liquid and it won't be a soup anymore. A good idea is to put the noodles on the table and let each person take what they want.  If you are bringing this to a sick patient, put some noodles in the bowl and add the soup.  

They'll be well in no time!

Lemon Orzo Soup Recipe - Avgolemono

I usually go for thick, full meal type of soups, but this one made me rethink that. But this isn't a thin brothy soup.  The combination of the egg yolks and lemon thicken it perfectly.

Note - if you use store-bought broth and you decide not to buy low-sodium broth, at least check the ingredients to ensure that salt is at the bottom of the list. You can add your own salt as you need it, but no soup can be good with a stock made with mostly salt.


Ingredients:                                              Difficulty rating: easy

·      2 Tablespoons of olive oil

·   2 Medium carrots, diced *

·   2 Medium stalks of celery, diced * 

·      1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional)

     

·      1 medium leek, the white and like green parts only. *

o  Cut it in half lengthwise and cut the halves into ½ “ pieces

·     1 32 oz. package of organic vegetable broth 

o  Use organic chicken broth if you prefer

·      2 organic eggs

·      2/3 cup orzo or 2/3 cup white basmati rice

·      Juice and zest of 2 lemons **- plus some lemon wedges to serve with soup for people who really like the taste of the lemon (like me)***

·      Kosher salt (to taste)

·      Black pepper (to taste)

* Note - when I'm in a hurry, I don't add the carrots, celery or leek, I just depend on the vegetable broth for the taste.  Sometimes you are just cold and don't want to wait for a delicious way to get warm! Just remember, nothing beats a homemade broth.

** Note - DO NOT use store bought lemon juice.  Use real lemons, the soup depends on that.

*** Note - I like to serve it with wedges of preserved lemons if I have them.

Preparation: 
Add the olive oil into a 3 quart pot over a medium flame. 
If using the Aleppo pepper, add it now.  (When it's a souper cold night this can really warm you up)
Add the leek and stir frequently until it is translucent. 
Pour the broth into a 3 qt. pot. 
Cover and bring it to a boil.

Whisk egg and broth together

Once it boils, turn the heat down so it is no longer at a rapid boil, but to a simmer and add the orzo or rice, and cook until it is al dente (firm to the bite).  The orzo has a faster cooking time than the rice.

Pouring orzo into the broth

While waiting for it to the soup to cook, break the 2 eggs, add add the yolk into a medium bowl.  Whisk them together and slowly add lemon juice, whisking for about 45 seconds to 1 minute - until they look smooth.  This makes the soup a bit thick and silky.

SLOWLY add 1 cup broth of hot broth from the soup to the eggs, a little bit at a time and whisk.
(You don't want egg drop soup, so this should be well whisked).
This should take about 2 minutes, until there is a good froth on the top.

Incorporate this into the soup pot with the rest of the soup slowly.

When the orzo or rice is al dente (a bit firm 'to the teeth', not mushy), 

When the broth comes to a boil, uncover it pour the egg, lemon mixture in a steady stream into the broth.  

Add the lemon zest before turning off the flame.  

If necessary, add more lemon, salt and pepper.  

Put the lemon wedges or preserved lemon on the table so people can add more lemon as they chose.  I always add more lemon, because I prefer the lemony tang, but being mindful of others, I give them the choice.