Most Sundays were "soup and scones" day when our children were growing up. There was no debate over the scones. Fried and puffy homemade bread dough was always welcome as long as the butter, honey and jam were served as condiments. But the soup??? A matter for debate between distinct and differing palettes. So to make it less of a tedious task of talking one child out of her favorite soup and convincing another that mulligatawny is delicious, I gave in. Yes, I gave in and made two soups, sometimes three to keep peace in our home. Perhaps that's what it takes - soup for peace.
As one of my husband's duties as an attache in the Middle East, we hosted various political and military leaders for dinner and social events. One of our visitors with a colorful, dubious past, (let's just say, he was once thrown out a second story window) adored one of the easiest soups I made - a simple roux based, chicken broth and cream with boursin cheese melted in. We still call this soup today by this man's name.
I'm glad he wasn't included in the weekly conference as to which soups we should have, because with his influential political clout I would defintely have to make it (forget what my children wanted.) Suffice it to say that on every visit to this man, my husband took a package of Boursin cheese for him, which definitely wasn't available in the markets of his community.
This following soup is one I would have chosen, had I ever had the chance to suggest one. Creamy and velvety with a rich chicken flavor base,the crunch of the almonds adds a nice contrast to the texture, and the chewiness of the rice adds a third note, creating a simply satisfying melody!
Chicken Almond Soup w/Wild Rice
1/4 cup butter
1 medium shallot, finely diced
4 baby carrots, finely diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk, or half and half
3/4 cups wild rice, cooked until tender
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts and/or thighs
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cups toasted almonds
1/4 cup corasely chopped parsley
-Melt butter in medium-sized saucepan. Saute shallot and carrots in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour with a whisk and cook another minute. Slowly add chicken stock whisking as you add stock until soup base is smooth. Add milk or half and half and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
-Stir in wild rice and shredded chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper, being aware that chicken stock is salty. Bring soup back to boil for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
-Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup almonds.
-Serve soup in separate bowls garnished with the additional almonds and chopped parsley. Serves 6
A fried scone is a delicious accessory to this soup!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
*If the addition of fried scones to your soup selections, appeals to you, check out my post on making scones. Type "Navajo Tacos" in the search bar and there you will find the recipe.
*As I always note for my soups, when using chicken broth or stock or bouillon, I suggest the following scale for the best flavor in your soup. And boy, can a natural chicken flavor make a huge difference!
#1 - Home made chicken stock
#2 - "Better than Bouillon" stock paste
#3 - Boxed chicken stock
#4 - Canned chicken broth
#5 - Magi Chicken bouillon cubes
#6 - Knorr's chicken bouillon cubes
#7 - Other chicken bouillon cubes
No comments:
Post a Comment