By Emily
This originally came from a recipe from The Complete Cookbook, but I have made it many times and every time it changes a little according to what veggies I need to use up (usually right before I have a co-op produce pick up and realize I didn't use us the last pick-up's veggies....) and sometimes I make it with one of those rotisserie chickens that we only half ate and I don't want to waste. Every time it's delicious! It is hearty enough for a meal, especially if you serve it with a loaf of fresh bread, toasted with butter of course. Yum!
You will need for the stock:
2-3 lb whole chicken (this time I used a cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket)
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
1 onion
Handful of fresh parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of whole peppercorns
2 tsp salt
Roughly chop all veggies above and place all above ingredients in a large soup pot with 4 liters of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer 1 hr (with lid on). Skim surface if it gets oily. Allow to cool for 1/2 hr, then strain and save the liquid and the chicken. Remove the meat from the chicken and place aside with the strained broth.
What you'll need for the soup:
4 Tbls butter2 Tbls flour3 small potatoes, diced1 pumpkin squash, diced3 carrots, cut into small thin sticks2 small onions, diced (recipe asked for a leek but I didn't have this)4 small celery sticks, cut into small thin stickslarge handful of green beans (I used a cup of frozen peas b/c that's all I had)I added a cup of frozen corn too b/c I wanted to get rid of it1 head of broccoli, chopped up1 pkg of frozen or fresh spinach leaves1/4 cup fresh parsley1/2 cup 1/2 & 1/2 or cream
Using the same pot, heat the butter over medium heat and when foaming/bubbling, add flour and whisk while cooking for a minute. Stir in the reserved stock slowly. Bring to a boil and then add the potato, pumpkin and carrot and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add onion (or leek), celery & beans (or peas) and corn if you are using that, and cook 5 minutes, then add the final veggies that cook fast like broccoli & spinach. If using frozen spinach, give it some extra time to come to a simmer again. Finally add the chicken, cream and chopped parsley just before serving. You'll need to season with garlic salt (or regular if that's all you have) and fresh ground pepper.
