A Souper Start to 2020

Happy New Year, Friends.

It's been a while since I posted anything on the blog--almost four years. My last post was titled "Why Should Potatoes Have all the Fun?" I had no idea what that title meant until I re-read it just now. The topic was Fennel Fries. You can read about it here:

http://gaylyons.blogspot.com/2016/03/why-should-potatoes-have-all-fun.html

Today's topic--perfect for a January day--is soup: An old favorite and a new one that is not a keeper.

For a laid back New Year's Eve at home with a few friends, I made tomato soup and white chicken chili.

Easy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Croutons, from "Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof," is as easy as its name promises. The grilled cheese croutons are fun, but you can also just serve grilled cheese sandwiches on the side.

I decided to make white chicken chili because I've never had a recipe that satisfies me. It seemed like a good time to try out another one with friends as taste testers. Everyone gave it a thumbs up, but I'm not satisfied with it. The tri-colored tortilla strips dressed it up, but to me, it's just missing something. Maybe it has too much cheese and sour cream diluting the flavor?

Do you have a good recipe for white chicken chili? If you do, I hope you'll share it with me.

Meanwhile, scroll down for the recipe for Easy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Croutons, which I highly recommend, and the recipe for White Chicken Chili, which has me searching for a better one.

Until next time...

G.

THE RECIPES

Easy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

3 T. good olive oil

3 c. yellow onions, chopped 

1 T. minced garlic (3 cloves)

4 c. chicken stock

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Large pinch of saffron threads

1 T. Kosher salt 

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. orzo

1/2 c. heavy cream

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low
heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for one
more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a
boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add
two teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for seven minutes. Drain the orzo
and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer, and cook for 10 more
minutes, stirring frequently. Serve hot with Grilled Cheese Croutons scattered on top. You can use
the method below or make them using your favorite technique.

Grilled Cheese Croutons 

4 (½-inch-thick) slices country white bread

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated

Heat a panini grill. Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the
melted butter, being sure to butter the corners. Turn the slices over and pile Gruyère on two of the
slices. Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the Gruyère, buttered sides up.

Grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a
cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute, and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Note: A grilled cheese sandwich is the first thing I remember learning to cook--at age 9. I
still make these the way my father taught me. I use sliced sharp cheddar and “grill” the
sandwiches in a frying pan, adding lots of butter as needed.

White Chicken Chili

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast halves

3 T. olive oil divided

2 T. plus 2 tsp. chili powder, divided

3 T. cumin, divided

1 tsp. salt, divided, plus more, to taste

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste

3 c. chopped onion 

3 T. minced garlic or more if you love garlic 

3 15-ounce cans white beans, drained

2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (hot or mild, depending on your preference)

2 tsp. oregano

4–6 c. chicken broth

3 c. shredded cheese (half Monterey Jack, half cheddar)

1 cup sour cream, divided

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread chicken out in a roasting pan. Drizzle with one tablespoon
olive oil and season with two teaspoons chili powder, one tablespoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt
and a pinch or two of cayenne. Roast for 30 minutes. Shred or cut into bite sized pieces. Set
aside.

In a large pot, heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic over medium
heat for five minutes or so, until tender. Add beans, shredded chicken, chilies, oregano, two
tablespoons chili powder, two tablespoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
(or more, to taste). Add four cups of chicken broth, reserving the rest for thinning the chili to your
desired consistency. Stir to combine and simmer gently on low for 20 minutes. To keep the
chicken tender, do not let the pot boil. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for five
minutes or so before proceeding. With the pot still off the heat, stir three cups of cheese into
the pot, 1 cup at a time. Then stir in one cup of sour cream. Bring the pot back to a gentle
simmer over low heat. To keep the dairy products from separating, don’t boil. Simmer the chili
for 15-20 minutes, adjusting with additional chicken broth as needed.

Note: I can’t remember where I found this recipe.