Spicy Chicken Soup

This recipe is an update on my previous chicken soup recipe, and I think it's better. It involves most of the same ingredients, but has a lot more flavor. It gets a rich herbal flavor from oregano, some sweet earthiness from shiitake mushrooms, and a little kick of heat from some cayenne pepper.

2 stalks celery
2 cups chopped baby carrots
1/2 large turnip
1 bulb fennel
1 pkg sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 8 oz)
6-7 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 split chicken breast, on bone, with skin

Chop celery, carrots, turnip, and fennel into a 1/4 inch dice. Mince the garlic or push through a press. Put all of this into a large stockpot, and add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and oregano. Place the chicken on top, and add enough water to cover everything.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chick breasts from pot and set aside to cool. Turn heat off the soup and let that cool as well.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard it. Cut chicken off the bone and into small pieces. Return to pot, and add the shiitake mushrooms as well.

Bring back to a boil and reduce immediately. Simmer about 5-10 minutes, and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve with a large spoonful of white rice cooked according to package directions.

Instead of Mashed Potatoes

What do you do when you have a giant pile of roasted vegetables that you can't bear to eat one more night? Throw it into the food processor! This is another one of those recipes that I created in an attempt to find something my toddler would eat (she refused), and discovered something that I would not be surprised to see on a plate at an elegant restaurant. I don't cover mine with foie-gras stuffed poached prunes and a port wine reduction sauce, however...

2 fennel bulbs
1 med. red onion
2 shallots
4 parsnips
4 carrots
spray olive oil
kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 can chick peas, drained
1/4 cup water (or more)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Wash and chop all the raw vegetables. Arrange in a large roasting pan, and spray with olive oil. Toss to make sure veggies are thinly coated in oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Roast about 30 minutes on the 2nd highest rack in the oven on broil, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Onion and fennel should have caramelized, and the parsnips and carrots will be quite soft.

Working in batches, transfer roasted veggies to food processor. Ad chick peas. To ensure an even distribution of all ingredients, divide the chick peas in commensurate amounts to the veggie batches. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides and adding drizzles of water and olive oil to attain a smooth consistency. Just before serving, stir in parmesan cheese.

I recommend serving this as a side dish alongside a nice steak or lamb chop, with a dark leafy green such as kale.