Thursday, January 17, 2013

Creamy Chicken Soup with Parsnips, White Pepper, & Peas {to cure a bad mood}

I've been having one of those weeks. You know the kind - where everything and everyone conspires to  irritate, annoy, and infuriate.

But that's okay, because I have a secret weapon: soup. Yes, soup. We all know the restorative properties of chicken soup, and this version adds even more punch with the addition of a little cream and half and half and a sinus-clearing amount of white pepper.

Each slurp of this soup not only contributed to an increased sense of equanimity and well-being, it gave me strength to (figuratively) vanquish my annoying enemies.

Or maybe that was the booze?

Either way, make this. You'll feel better.


This comes together very quickly, particularly if you have homemade chicken stock in the freezer, as I usually do. I also had 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and so I prepared them using this method from the Kitchn, which unfailingly produces an incredibly juicy product.

And the rest is business as usual: saute 1 chopped white onion in some butter. Add chopped garlic to taste, 4 or 5 sliced carrots, 3 or 4 sliced parsnips, 4 (or so) cups of chicken stock, a few sprigs of thyme and a sprig of rosemary and simmer until tender. Temper 1/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup half and half with the broth and add to the pot. Shred the chicken and add it, along with a cup of frozen peas, and simmer. Salt to taste and - this is the key - add plenty of white pepper. More than you usually would. The white pepper's heat plays very nicely with the sweetness imparted to the broth by the cream. Remove the thyme and rosemary stems and garnish with fresh parsley.

Another easy weeknight meal and a cure for the blues, all in one delicious bowl.





12 comments:

  1. Oh yes, that soup should do it - although the booze might help - delicious looking bowl of goodness
    Mary x

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  2. Ah I hope your week is getting better. Or a bigger soup bowl or more booze. Looks very good though for sure and warming.

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  3. This could cure almost anything. Hope your week is ending on a great note!

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  4. Me, too, sister! What is going on here? That soup looks super delish and like something I could use right now--well, you know, except. . . Anyway, sending you good vibes and all!

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  5. Its not often I sing the praises of a plump breast but I have had these before and they are mouthwatering. The Kitchn nailed them real good. I need to remember soup more often as I too have some vanquishing to do.

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  6. This seems to have been a irritating week all over the place...but anything with parsnips is enough to make the world a little less annoying. Beautifully done.

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  7. I hope you are feeling much better after the soup! I have been looking for parsnips all over the place but no luck :(

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  8. Uhmmmm, delicious!!! I stay here following you!!
    Regards from Madrid
    Kss

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  9. I'd say it was the booze, but this does look like a lovely soup. I'm impressed that you can whip up something so lovely (and photograph it so beautifully) when you're under stress. I usually just lie around moaning...

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  10. Oy. This looks amazing. I could have used bowls of this over the last few weeks :)

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  11. Haha, your opening paragraph made me smile - isn't that like, every week? :D. But then I looked at this creamy soup and I felt SO much better! Which annoying, irritating, infuriating person??

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  12. Carole's Chatter is collecting links using parsnip and/or pumpkin today. This is a nice one. I do hope you pop over and link in. This is the link . Cheers

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