I am sitting here at my kitchen table with my re-heated cup of coffee admiring the current rain, noticing how the trees trunks get so much darker when wet and when you think the flourescent orange Aspen leaves couldn’t get any brighter, they do. You’d think those trees were on fire. It is radical. Beautiful. Breathtaking. The kids are watching a show and I decided, with the chill in the wet air that I needed to post a soup recipe. I knew exactly which recipe I needed to post.
I have been waiting for Fall to arrive so that I may share this very, very special recipe with you all. This soup is so full of flavor, spices and textures you will have thought you were transported to a far off land without leaving your home. I have categorized this soup under vegetarian as well because you can easily lose the chicken and use vegetable broth and you will be missing nothing!
My friend gave me this magazine she had picked up at Whole Foods a million years ago called Soups, Stews & Chilies by Cuisine at Home. It is full of the most amazing soup recipes I have ever encountered. I love this magazine. This particular recipe you’ll notice has many different spices in it, essentially you are making your own curry blend. I would strongly suggest you make it as it is written as opposed to substituting curry powder for the spices because it is so perfect the way it is.
The recipe also suggests making some couscous to dollop on top of the soup, I do not do this only because the soup is so perfect just the way it is. Feel free to add some crusty bread on the side or just dive right into this delectable soup. Either way I have added the Lemon-Apricot Couscous as well just in case you are interested. I have decided to make this soup tonight only because my husband is gone for the weekend and does not care for this soup. He’s more of a roast and mashed potatoes kind of guy. The word “curry” scares him.
Happy cooking!
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 cups onion, diced
2 T fresh ginger, minced
1 T garlic, minced
1 tsp each paprika
ground coriander
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom
1/4 tsp each ground turmeric, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
3/4 pounds cooked chicken shredded
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/4 kalamata olives, pitted, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish Minced fresh cilantro toasted slivered almonds
Preparation
Saute onion in oil in a large pot over medium heat until onion is soft, 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and seasonings, and cook one minute.
Deglaze with wine, reduce until nearly evaporated, then stir in broth, chicken, chickpeas, tomatoes, artichokes, and olives. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with Cilantro and almonds.
Lemon-Apricot Couscous
Ingredients
2 cups water
2 T honey
1 T olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
Pinch of salt
1 cup dry instant couscous
1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
Preparation
Bring water, honey, oil, lemon juice, zest, and salt to a boil in a saucepan.
Off heat, stir in couscous and apricots; cover and let stand until water is absorbed, about five minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
High Altitude Adjustment
- None
Compost
- Ginger, garlic and onion trimmings
Recycle
- chickpea, tomato and artichoke cans/lids
- dried apricot bag
- chicken broth container
Reuse
- If you used a rotisserie chicken, you can use the carcass to make a home-made chicken stock.
- If you made the couscous you can use the zested lemon by slicing it up and adding it to your water.
Right now
