I had Jury Duty yesterday. After four hours of sitting in the Juror Lounge, reading newspapers (fresh and stale) and hoping against hope that my name wouldn’t be called for a trial, I was sent packing with my fellow “potential jurors” for a two-hour “lunch.”
I wandered the streets of downtown San Diego for a while, shopped a bit and finally ended up in the café at Nordstrom where I ordered the soup of the day, Chicken Watercress. It was sensational – a lightly thickened tangle of tangy watercress “ribbons” and tender nubbins of chicken that looked and tasted like they had been hand-shredded from the bird by Grandma herself (as opposed to hard, dense cubes hacked by machines). Very simple, very classic, very delicious.
The recipe isn’t in any of the Nordstrom cookbooks. However, in perusing the "Nordstrom Family and Friends Cookbook," I came upon a soup that sounds even better. And, given the frigid temperatures we’re experiencing this week, Nordstrom's Chicken Pot Pie Soup (above) is an ideal dinner solution. I plan to make it tonight. Here’s the recipe. (Photo from Foodspotting.com.)
NORDSTROM CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP
(slightly adapted)
5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 chicken breast halves with skin on and bone in
1 medium onion, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns (or 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper)
1 stick butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 mushrooms, quartered
2 unpeeled red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup thawed frozen peas
Combine broth, 1 cup water, chicken breasts, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to boil and turn down to simmer. Add parsley, thyme and peppercorns; partially cover and cook slowly until chicken is tender and cooked through (approx.. 30 minutes).
Strain into a heatproof bowl, reserving the broth. Place chicken on carving board and set aside to cool.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven. Place the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a heatproof medium bowl and let stand at room temperature to soften. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms to heated Duth oven and cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and stir well. Stir in 4 cups reserved broth and bring to a simmer. (Reserve the remaining broth for another recipe. Can be frozen.) Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add flour to softened butter and mash with a fork or rubber spatula to make a smooth paste. Whisk in about 2 cups of cooking liquid from the Dutch oven to make a thin paste. Whisk this mixture back into the Dutch oven along with cream. Simmer until the soup is velvety smooth and lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and peas and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Comments