Hearty Soups Chili, Gumbo, and Stock
My collection of creative, quick, & easy, soup, chili, and gumbo recipes.
Dairy-Free Mushroom Bisque
Ingredients:
4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds fresh Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 ounce dried Porcini mushrooms.
Steep dried mushrooms in 1/2 cup of hot stock or water.
* Reserve steeping liquid.
5 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
Execution:
Start by steeping your dried mushrooms in a 1/2 cup of hot chicken or vegetable stock
In a stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil, add garlic, onions, and celery. Cook and stir and sweat, until translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in thyme and mushrooms, and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft about 5 minutes.
Add carrots and stir
Pour the chicken or vegetable stock into the pot, stir and taste…
Season with salt and pepper
Add steeped porcini mushrooms and make sure to strain out the liquid before adding it to the soup. There might be sand or debris from the dried mushrooms.
Cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Does it need anything?
Puree using a hand blender or a food processor until smooth and thick.
Taste and adjust seasoning and add bay leaves
Simmer on low for 20 minutes, remove bay leaves, and if tastes amazing, turn it out!
Serve, with a salad, a loaf of crusty bread, or both!
MANGIA!
Chicken Soup with Mushrooms & Farro
Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, medium dice
1 large onion, medium dice
2 stalks of celery, medium dice
2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, (cremini or white button)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
4 quarts of cold water
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
4 tbsp of fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of cooked and cooled farro (follow directions on package).
Execution:
In a large stock pot on medium high heat.
Add a splash of olive oil
Add the chicken to lightly brown, 2 to 3 minutes
Add, dried herbs, bay leaves, lightly season with salt and pepper and stir
Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and mushrooms then stir together, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add 4 quarts of cold water.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a light simmer
Simmer until the vegetables are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked, 30 to 40 minutes
Add cooked farro
Taste, the broth, does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? Herbs? Adjust as necessary
Right before you are ready to serve, add chopped parsley
Serve hot!
Sweet Potato Bisque with Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
4-6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
1 large carrot, rough chopped
1 large onion, rough chopped
4 cloves garlic
6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock. Check out my recipe for chicken stock (below)
1 tablespoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground sage
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
pinch of hot pepper
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Crispy shallots, fried pancetta, crumbled bacon or sour cream for garnish
Execution:
In a large stock pot on medium high add oil and wait until it starts to ripple, then add onions and garlic
Once the oil ripples, add all dry spices and stir together
Saute (for about 5 minutes), then add vinegar, brown sugar and honey, stir again
Add the sweet potatoes, gold potatoes, carrots, celery and toss together
Add stock and bring to a light boil
Continue to lightly boil until the potatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
Now, taste the broth , how does it taste? Does it need anything? Adjust seasoning
Remember to REMOVE BAY LEAVES! Before blending.
When all ingredients are tender, emulsify using a hand blender, blender or food processor until smooth
Taste it, does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? Herbs? Adjust accordingly
Adjust the thickness by adding stock, milk or a touch of cream
Serve in individual bowls garnished with crispy shallots, crisp bacon cooked pancetta or sour cream
Crispy Shallots
Ingredients:
3 large shallots, sliced
1/4 cup of milk
3-4 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup canola, or grapeseed oil
Execution:
While the soup is simmering, assemble the shallots
In a small bowl add milk, a pinch of salt and pepper then add the sliced shallots. Let sit for 5 minutes
Drain the milk from the shallots
In a separate bowl, season the cornstarch with salt and pepper, add the shallots to the mixture and toss to coat
In a small strainer, place the starch coated shallots and shake away the residual starch into the same bowl.
In a small frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.
Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by adding a shallot and seeing if it sizzles.
When the oil is ready, add all of the shallots. Fry for about 3-4 minutes, while slightly shaking the pan to cook evenly.
Do this until they start to become slightly brown (not too dark, because you don't want them to burn - this can happen quickly). If they get too dark, they will become bitter.
Remove and set them on the plate with a paper towel to drain.
Garnish as you like!
Serve it!
Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients:
4 lbs of chicken bones ( carcasses, including necks backs and gizzards)
2 gallons of cold water
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, rough chopped
3- 4 carrots peeled, rough chopped
3-4 ribs of celery, rough chopped
2 to 3 bay leaves
medium bunch of fresh thyme
small bunch of fresh rosemary
2 heads of garlic (split)
Tsp of black peppercorns
1 tbsp kosher salt
Execution:
In a large stock pot, place all chicken bones, vegetables, herbs and peppercorns
Cover with cold water
Set temperature on high, until you see bubbles start to form
Do Not Boil! Allow to lightly Simmer.
Every 20 minutes, use a spoon to skim the surface scum and discard
Simmer for 4 to 6 hours and add more water if the bones start to become uncovered during the simmering process
Strain into 2 smaller pots and discard the bones and spent aromatics.
Cool immediately!
Place in refrigerator overnight.
Remove surface fat solids from the stock and store in container with lid in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in freezer for up to 3 months.
Prior to use, bring to boil for 2 minutes.
Use as a base for soups, sauces and gravy
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients:
5 - 6.5 ounce cans of chopped clams and the liquor that it’s canned with
1 - 32 ounce of low sodium chicken or clam broth, your choice. I use chicken stock because it has lower sodium and no MSG.
Olive oil
1 Large Sweet onion, diced
3 Ribs of celery, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 to 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs dried thyme
1 tbs dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, diced
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pinch of Red-pepper flakes
Cornstarch slurry to thicken your chowder:
What is a slurry?
A slurry is a thickening mixture that is made up of equal parts starch and water, that is prepared for use in making soups, stews and sauces.
So, if you're cooking hot liquids like sauces, stock or broth, 1 tablespoon of corn starch per cup of liquid will give you a thin to medium consistency that's appropriate for soups or very thin sauces. 2 tablespoons per cup will give you a thicker, more gravy-like consistency.
Slurry Execution:
So, if that doesn’t confuse you enough, this is what you want to do:
Add 5-6 tbsp of cornstarch to EQUAL parts water in a small bowl, not directly in the soup. this is done separately.
Whisk ingredients together and create a pour-able paste
ADD A LITTLE AT AT TIME!!
When adding slurry, stir constantly, as to avoid lumps
Bring to a boil to cook out the starchiness
If it’s too thin add a little more, if it’s too thick add a little stock, OR tomato juice to thin it out.
It’s not necessary to thicken the soup, I just like it this way. This will give the soup some body and silkiness
Execution:
In a stock pot on medium high add a few tbsp of olive oil
Add all vegetable, except the potatoes
Add all dried herbs and spices and stir
Sweat until the onions are somewhat translucent, (about 8 minutes)
Add the stock
Add the tomatoes and stir
Add potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender
Add the clams and the liquor (do not throw away)!
Stir in the slurry to thicken. While stirring in the thickener, bring soup to a boil as to cook out the starchiness.
Bring back to a simmer
If you don want to do this part of the recipe, just omit.
If there is a oil slick on the surface of your soup, just skim it off with a spoon and discard.
Taste it, does it need anything? More stock? Salt? Pepper? Worcestershire? Hot pepper flakes? More herbs?
Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
If it tastes as you like it serve it!
Mangia!!
Turkey Chili with White Beans
Ingredients:
Serves 6-8
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or (ground beef, pork, or veal, whatever you like). If you use ground beef, make sure when the beef is fully cooked, drain the fat, as you don’t want the additional fat in the dish.
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium sweet onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil (or more)
2 1/2 tbsps chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 large bay leaves
handful of thinly sliced cilantro stems (optional)
2-4 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2- 15.5 oz. cans of White Cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
1 to 2 cups cups of low salt chicken stock
2 cups of tomato sauce (my recipe click on button below) or your favorite jarred sauce
Garnish with fresh cilantro and avocado
Roasted aromatics for the chili base:
1 medium carrot peeled and roughly chopped
1 stalk celery roughly chopped
1 large onion peeled and cut into quarters
1 red bell pepper cut in half, stemmed and seeds removed
1 poblano pepper cut in half, stemmed and seeds removed
4 tbsp olive oil
i tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Execution for the aromatics:
Prepare the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Toss in olive oil, salt. pepper and oregano
Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. You want to caramelize the vegetables, this will give the chili additional flavor.
Once roasted, cool and reserve
Execution for the chili:
On medium high, in a large pot/pan add 2 tsp of oil and brown the ground turkey, stirring frequently.
Take cooked turkey out of the pan, place in a stainless bowl. In the same pan, add a little more oil and sweat the onions and garlic, cook till translucent and do not brown.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add all of you spices (and a little more oil) to the onions and garlic, stir together. Adding the spices at the point will release their essential oils and you won’t have a raw spice taste, just more flavor.
Add the ground turkey back into the pan and stir. Take the pan off the heat for a moment, while you make the chili base.
Place all of your roasted vegetables in a food processor or blender, with 1/2 of the tomato sauce and 1/2 of you chicken stock and blend till smooth. This is your chili base. If you need to add more stock to help with blending, add some.
Pour the blended vegetable base into you chili and stir.
Place pot back on medium heat
Add the rest of the tomato sauce and chicken stock into the turkey mixture and stir.
Add cilantro stems (optional)
Add Worcestershire sauce
Adjust heat and simmer for 30 minutes, DO NOT BOIL!
Simmer gently.
Taste it, does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? Hot sauce? More granulated garlic, more oregano? Is it too thick? If it is; thin it down with some water. stock or tomato juice.
Add beans and simmer for about 25 minutes
If it tastes the way you like it….
Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, diced onion whatever you like…..Serve it hot!
NOW, GET TO IT!!!
Asian Chicken Vegetable Soup with Ginger and Garlic
Ingredients:
64 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 lbs of chicken breast cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger grated fresh ginger
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 cup of sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup green beans (fine)
1/8 of a cup of soy sauce
1 tbsp of sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Execution:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken to lightly brown.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the broth. Stir in the carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms and soy sauce .
Bring to a boil.
Add mushrooms
Reduce heat and add the green beans.
Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes
Add sesame oil
Adjust seasoning, does it need anything? Soy sauce? garlic? ginger? sesame oil? If it’s the way you like it, serve it!
Garnish with fresh cilantro and a splash of sesame oil.
serve hot
Tuscan Creamy Butternut Squash and White Bean Bisque
Cold weather comfort food
Ingredients :
Serves 4
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 medium carrot diced
2 -4 tbsp olive oil
4 cups butternut squash, cubed
2 - 15.5 oz can cannellini beans
2 tbs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves (remove before pureeing)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground, as needed for seasoning
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 cup crimini mushrooms, rough chopped
4 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp of fresh sage sliced thin
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 heads of roasted garlic
No-fat sour cream for topping
Parmesan cheese for grating when you serve the soup
Execution for roasted garlic:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice off the top each head of garlic to expose some of the cloves inside. Place the heads on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes.
When cooled squeeze garlic out of the paper and reserve.
Execution for the soup:
In a stock pot heated to medium high
add olive oil
add celery, carrot, onion, mushrooms and garlic, saute until onion is translucent
add salt, pepper, rosemary and bay leaves
add butternut squash, toss
add stock and simmer for 45 minutes or until squash is tender
add nutmeg, cinnamon and taste
add roasted garlic
add 1 can of drained and rinsed canellini beans (save 1 can for later)
Don’t forget to remove bay leaves
Then with a hand blender puree until smooth
add the other can of drained and rinsed canellini beans for texture, no further pureeing. (omit if you want just a smooth soup)
add lemon and stir in
taste, does it need anything? salt? pepper? nutmeg? cinnamon?
if it tastes as you like, serve it hot with julienne fresh sage, grated Parmesan cheese, a splash of olive oil and a dollop of no-fat sour cream on top
Pho with Chicken, Pork or Seafood
Vietnamese Noodle soup
Ingredients for broth:
Serves 4 to 6
This requires some time but in the end it's worth it!
96 ounces low sodium chicken stock
4 oz piece of ginger (cut in half)
1 small onion (cut in half)
1 bulb of garlic cut in half
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots roughly chopped
bunch of cleaned cilantro stems
2 jalapeno peppers halved
12 to 15 mushroom stems
1 stalk of lemongrass (the white part bashed) then cut into 4 inch pieces
1/4 cup of soy sauce
6 tbsp. fish sauce
6 tbsp. sugar
juice of 1 lime
Other ingredients
1 lb of rice noodles, I like Asian Best Premium rice noodles
4 - 4 ounce salmon filets
1 lb 21-25 jumbo shrimp (that's 21 to 25 per pound) 4 to 5 per person
2 handfuls (about 3 oz) bean sprouts
2 or 3 sprigs mint,
2 or 3 sprigs of Thai basil
3 or 4 fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 Thai chile or 1/2 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced
2 radishes thinly sliced
Execution:
Place all ingredients into a stockpot, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours
After simmering for about 1 hour, add the fish sauce and sugar
Taste intermittently
Does it need anything? More soy sauce? More fish sauce? More hot pepper? More lime juice?
When it is tasting as you like, strain all aromatics out
adjust seasonings
hold hot until service
Noodles:
1 lb rice noodles
I like Asian Best Premium rice noodles
Execution:
Follow directions on the package
When fully cooked, rinse noodles to cool
Hold in a bowl for service
Seafood, Chicken, or Beef:
Today, we are doing seafood.
4 - 4 ounce piece of salmon (skin removed)
4 to 5 large shrimp per person
* If you don't like seafood (or ar allergic), you can substitute with grilled chicken, flank steak or your favorite vegetables.
Execution:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
On the stovetop, (on high) heat a cast-iron skillet or large saute pan.
Sear salmon: Place flesh side down in pan and press fillets with fingertips, reduce heat to medium. Do not move fillets.
Allow cooking for about three minutes or until browned and crispy
With a fish spatula, turn fillets and place in a preheated oven for about 4 - 5 more minutes, or until 145 degrees internally.
When the salmon is almost done and still in the oven, toss shrimp into simmering (hot) broth to cook (about 3-4 minutes)
Take salmon out of the oven, pull shrimp off the heat but leave in both, (do not overcook)!!
Again:* If you don't like seafood (or you are allergic), substitute with fully cooked grilled chicken, flank steak or your favorite vegetables.
Assemble:
In 4 bowls place a handful of noodles in each bowl
Pour HOT broth over noodles, add cooked shrimp, and top with (fully cooked) salmon filet
Let's go! SERVE HOT with traditional garnish plate (below)
Garnish plate:
2 handfuls (about 3 oz) bean sprouts
2 or 3 sprigs mint,
2 or 3 sprigs of Thai basil
3 or 4 fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 Thai chile or 1/2 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced
2 radishes thinly sliced
Wild Mushroom Soup with Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (reconstituted) save the liquid for the soup
1/2 ounce dried chanterelle mushrooms (reconstituted) save the liquid for the soup
24 ounces cremini, baby bella or button mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 a cup of olive oil
2 stalks of celery (diced)
1 sweet onion (diced)
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp of dried thyme
1 Tbsp of dried marjoram
6 ounces Marsala, Madeira or Port wine
64 ounces low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
12 ounce can of evaporated skim milk, instead of cream.
Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of all purpose tomato sauce
Asparagus Execution:
If you don't like or want asparagus, just omit.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
6 Asparagus spears (cut into thirds)
toss in olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
Put into small roasting pan
Roast until browned and a little crispy
set aside
Soup execution:
In a large stockpot: turn on medium-high
when the pot is warmed up add oil
when the oil starts to ripple, (it’s ready)
add sliced mushrooms first (brown them)
add onions, celery, and garlic
season with salt, pepper, thyme, and marjoram
toss in bay leaves
allow the vegetables to cook until they are softened and the onions are translucent
add the wine and reduce by half on medium-high
when the wine is reduced, add reconstituted mushrooms and the saved liquid, reduce by half. Doing this will concentrate the flavors.
add your chicken or vegetable stock
add tomato sauce
bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
taste and season, does it need salt? or pepper? more thyme? more marjoram? Worcestershire?
simmer for 2 hours
then when it tastes rich and mushroomy, yep that's a culinary term...
thicken the soup
To thicken and enrich the soup:
Since the soup will be a broth-based. To add some body to the soup, make a quick slurry by mixing equal parts cornstarch and cold water (or stock)
4 to 6 tbsp of cornstarch to equal parts of cold water or stock, mix together, AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO LUMPS!!
When whisking it into the soup make sure to bring the soup to a boil to cook out any starchiness.
is the soup as thick as you'd like? If not add more slurry and repeat boiling out the starch
okay, now the soup is thick enough and tastes good
LAST INGREDIENT; add the evaporated skim milk and DO NOT BOIL, if you do, the milk will break, just simmer lightly
one last taste and season again
assemble with some asparagus in the bottom of the bowl (or not) and garnish with a few spears on top.,if you don't like asparagus, just omit it.
serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil
Italian style:
Chicken, kale and white bean soup
Ingredients:
Mirepoix
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cup diced carrot
1 1/4 cups diced celery
Seasonings
2 to 4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small bay leaves
3 quarts of low sodium chicken broth.
8 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 leftover rind (end) from a piece of parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese. If you don't have a rind, good grated cheese will do.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Veg:
8 ounces chopped fresh kale
Protein
4 cups chicken breast. Cooked or raw. I like to make my soup with a raw product, you get better flavour from it.
1 or 2 15.5 ounce cans of White beans (drained and rinsed).
Execution:
Dice chicken, and season with salt and pepper, put in a stainless bowl and put aside.
Clean and sanitize the cutting board, dammit!
Over, (medium-high) heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add garlic (don't burn)...turn it down a little if you need to.
Add more oil if you need to, then add chicken, brown the chicken to get the best flavour you can.
Add the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add broth, bring it to a boil, then, reduce to a simmer. Toss in cheese rind and stir occasionally until the vegetables are completely tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Simmer, until all vegetables are tender and the flavors marry.
Taste again, adjust seasonings. More salt? More pepper?
Add kale, simmer 8 - 10 minutes or until Kale is tender
Add beans
simmer for another 10 minutes
Taste again, does it need anything??
Serve with grated cheese and a few splashes of extra virgin olive oil.
Hearty chicken soup with fresh dill and lemon
ingredients
Mirepoix
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups diced carrot
1 1/2 cups diced celery
Seasonings
2 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil
2 small bay leaves
3 quarts of low sodium chicken broth.
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Juice from 1 fresh lemon juice. (Add a little at a time).
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Protein
6 cups chicken (thighs or breast), whatever you prefer. Cooked or raw. I like to make my soup with a raw product, you get better flavour from it.
Execution:
Dice chicken, and season with salt and pepper, put in a stainless bowl and put aside.
Clean and sanitize the cutting board, dammit!
Over, (medium-high) heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven. Add chicken, brown the chicken to get the best flavour you can.
Add the onion, carrot, celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the bay leaf and cook, stir a bit.
Add broth then bring it to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer, stirring until the vegetables are completely tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all are tender and the flavors marry.
Taste again, adjust seasonings. More salt? More pepper?
Stir in the dill.
TASTE ONCE MORE! Do you want to add lemon juice? Do you like it as it is?....it's up to you.
If you want lemon, add a little lemon juice (1 - 2 tbsp), taste, does it need more? If you want a more lemony taste add more lemon juice, (just a little at a time). If needed, add the entire amount....or just a little, if you want.
Serve
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Chicken sausage gumbo
Ingredients
Serves 10
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
8 boneless chicken thighs (cut into chunks)
2 boneless chicken breasts (cut into chunks)
Roux
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
The holy trinity:
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs sliced
1 cup of sliced okra (frozen is fine)
4 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2 quarts (cooled) low sodium chicken stock
Spices and seasonings:
2 to 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
4 green onions, sliced
Filé powder (to assist in thickening)
Your favorite hot sauce. add some when served
Hot cooked rice
Execution:
Make roux ahead of time and cool.
Brown chicken in a Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed stock pot over medium high heat, get some color on the chicken.
Once you've got good color on the chicken, add trinity, garlic and seasonings.
Add the andouille and stir.
Allow all ingredients to cook together, to marry all flavours, on medium heat.
Gradually add 2 quarts (cold) stock and bring mixture to a low boil. Add cooled roux (to avoid lumps) and bring it back up to a boil.
Add okra, then turn down to a very low simmer.
Taste and adjust seasonings. What does it need? Salt? Pepper? Cayenne? Worchestershire?
Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 1 hour to an hour and a half.
Add green onions, remove and toss away bay leaves. Sprinkle with filé powder and stir in.
Taste, and adjust seasoning. Does it need more salt? does it need more worcestershire? more cayenne? more pepper? * Remember this is about layering flavors, you can always add seasonings but once they are added they are impossible to remove....so take your time. This is Cajun cooking...go low and slow.
Remove gumbo from heat.
Serve with a nice scoop of rice in the centre.
Garnish with chopped green onions.
Tuscan Bread Soup
Ingredients
4 servings
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup sliced leeks (white part)
3 garlic cloves minced
16 oz. hand crushed plum tomatoes
16 oz. water
8 oz. Crusty bread. Must be good quality
small bunch fresh basil sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Execution:
put olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot on med. heat
add leeks, garlic and sweat til translucent...no need to brown
add tomatoes
add water...simmer for 10- 20 minutes
Taste, adjust seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed.
stir in bread til it thickens
add basil
serve hot
garnish with good olive oil and grated parmigiano reggiano(if you want cheese)