Kitchen Chemistry: Soup II

Happy Monday! Adam's here with a recipe that could literally last you all week long...

The soup of the day is homemade chicken and rice. Just the thing if it's chilly where you are, if you've got many mouths to feed (or want to create a week's worth of meals in just a few hours), or if you just want to impress the hell out of your guests by making chicken soup from scratch. Bragging rights do apply!

This recipe was inspired by a large leftover pot of wild rice that Elizabeth made (she's not really one for measuring, apparently). It was delicious, seasoned with garlic powder, lemon pepper, and bay leaves and dotted with tangy Craisins. Elizabeth said, "I think it would be tasty in a soup. Make it happen!"

The first step is to make the stock. Fill a large stockpot with about 1 1/2 gallons of cold water. Chop up the meat and bones of 3 chicken legs and the ribs and rib meat from 3 chicken breasts. Allow the chicken to soak in the cold water for 20 minutes or so, then cover it and set it for a low simmer (tiny bubbles and a still surface). After 2 hours, add the following:

• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• The peels and ends from 6 carrots
• 1/2 pound of celery ends
• 1 clove of garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 bunch of parsley leaves and stems, whole
• A handful of pearl onions, crushed
• 2 sprigs of dried rosemary

Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, then remove all of the solids with a mesh strainer. Put the clear stock back in the pot at a low simmer and add the following:

• 3 raw chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 pound (about 8 stalks) celery, rough-chopped
• 1 pound (about 8) carrots, diagonally sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 Tbs olive oil

Simmer for another 30 minutes, then add 3 cups of pearl onions, peeled. Simmer for yet another 30 minutes, then add the following:

• 1/2 bunch of parsley leaves, chopped
• 3 cups (or so) cooked wild rice
• 2 cups Craisins
• 1/2 bottle or so of left-over white wine
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs cracked black pepper

Lastly, add salt. The salt in this soup is entirely to your taste or dietary wishes. Add a teaspoon, stir well and taste thoughtfully. Repeat until you've reached your desired saltiness.

This recipe makes about 12 generous bowls of soup, which we paired with rustic sunflower seed bread and roasted garlic (delicious spread on the bread or plopped in the soup). 

You certainly can't get a soup like this in a can. Tender white meat chicken, perfectly cooked vegetables, light herbal flavor, and the unexpected sweet notes of the Craisins.

Truly, the ultimate comfort food.

Kitchen Chemistry: Soup

I'm a girl made for Autumn. An apple pie-baking, wool scarf-swathed, college football-obsessed girl who waits impatiently for the day when glaring summer ripens into glowing fall, when it's time to bring out the biggest stockpot and make soup. Adam is back today with the first in a series of soups that celebrate the season (without dipping into your pumpkin spice latte budget!).  

Soup is the ultimate autumn meal- warmth, color, and rich fall ingredients are just the thing to impress my just-in-from-the-cold guests with my culinary genius. Take, for example, my Taco Soup.

This dish is milk-based (or half & half, or cream, depending on your latitude/metabolism), and utilizes canned black beans and whole kernel corn as primary texture elements. Condensed cream of chicken soup is added for thickness and complexity of flavor (but can be omitted to modify this recipe for vegetarians). My Taco Soup is seasoned with sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and cinnamon (a side note: from Southeast Asia to New England to the American Southwest, no spice crosses geographic and culinary boundaries like cinnamon).

I garnished the bowl with sour cream, shredded cheddar, red pepper flakes, lime, and chopped cilantro. Elizabeth made the tortilla crackers- they're analogous to oyster crackers in clam chowder, and they were delicious.

For another bowl of soup, check back next week for part II in this series... or watch my Salmon Bisque tutorial videos, here, here, here, or here!

Kitchen Chemist: Soup of the Day, Part IV & Finale

I hope that you've been enjoying my Salmon Bisque tutorials as much as I've been enjoying the soup- all week long!

Just a few last ingredients to add...

Keep stirring, keep tasting, and then you're done...

This is one of our favorite recipes- it fills our stomachs without emptying our wallets. A tough economy can be pretty unappetizing. When money is tight, it's easy to turn to canned soup, top ramen, or worse. Cheap food doesn't have to make you feel and look lousy. For just a few dollars per serving, this Salmon Bisque (and many other homemade soups and casseroles) is nutritious and almost extravagantly flavorful. Better yet, it's a meal that can be reheated and eated all week, and it freezes well (for those of you preparing for the long winter).

I'd like to hear from all of you foodies out there, and of course, anyone who is culinarily-challenged. What kind of recipes would you like to see here at StB? Restaurant-inspired? Gourmet on a budget? Holiday party appetizers? Gluten-free? Leave us a comment!

Kitchen Chemist: Soup of the Day, Part III

If you've been following along with my Salmon Bisque tutorial, you're already familiar with the ingredients, and you've also seen me cry on camera. Now it's time to get things cooking- and add the feature flavor.

Putting the Salmon in the Salmon Bisque



Tomorrow we'll finish things up with some veggies and a long simmer.

Kitchen Chemist: Soup of the Day, Part II

Yesterday I introduced you to the ingredients for my Salmon Bisque. Now it's time to break out the big knife and hack 'em up. My tip of the day: don't anthropomorphize your veggies. Really.


Butchering the Garlic & Onions:



Check back tomorrow, we'll heat things up...

Kitchen Chemist: Soup of the Day (or Week?)

Soup is easy to make, but difficult to make well. I sometimes give advice on how to fix mistakes, or how to emphasize the best qualities of a dish. Soup is merciless in that the flavor is far and away the most important aspect. It cannot be plated in a dramatic way, it pretty much conforms to the dish you serve it in. It cooks slowly and irreversibly. Once an ingredient is added, it cannot be taken away. A good soup takes hours to prepare, so if a mistake is made, the cook is essentially out of luck.

One of our favorite dishes is Smoked Salmon Bisque, a hearty and creamy concoction that I make from scratch during the fall and winter months. This is one seafood dish that even the seafood averse can enjoy, as there are no bones/skin/fish texture to deal with. When executed correctly, this bisque can serve as the highlight of a meal, or as a mind-blowing appetizer. You can't make too much, because it's even better reheated the next day. In fact, I made about two gallons just for myself. I doubt I'll have to cook (or blog) anything else all week.

For my Smoked Salmon Bisque you'll need:

12 ounces of Smoked Salmon
1/2 gallon of Milk
3 pints of Heavy Cream
3 cups of White Wine
8 Cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 Sweet Onion
8-12 Stalks of Celery 
2 pounds of Red Potatoes
1 pound of Purple Potatoes
1 cup of Vegetable Oil
10 Sprigs of Thyme
4 Sprigs of Rosemary
Salt, Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan and Bread for plating


Here's an introduction to our ingredients:



Tomorrow we'll get cooking!