Farmer’s Market Chicken and Vegetable Soup
The Crescent City Farmer’s Market has had a huge impact on the quality of cooking and eating in New Orleans, and on my own life as well. Over the years it has grown from one location where you could get only bell peppers and tomatoes, one day a week, to four bustling locations (open four days a week) where you can buy anything from Creole cream cheese to colorful varieties of eggplant and Swiss chard, lemongrass, Thai basil, soft-shell crabs, tamales, hibiscus flowers, sweet potato pies, and mayhaw jelly! Happily, post-Katrina, the farmers are back, and this vital part of the community is still up and running. My only complaint is that I can’t just run in and grab what I need in a hurry. When I go, I spend at least an hour perusing produce, catching up with farmers, and socializing with all the other shoppers and chefs I know. The market is a modern-day village green. Of course, this is also what I love about it. If you’re lucky enough to have a real farmer’s market in your area (they’re sprouting up everywhere), be sure to seek it out. It’s bound to have the makings for this soothing and delicious chicken and vegetable soup, among other satisfying meals. Feel free to substitute local seasonal vegetables for any of the ones listed here.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and leeks and sweat for 10-15 minutes. Add the stock and tomato puree and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the Bouquet Garni, and simmer for 10 more minutes, then season with salt and pepper. About 10 minutes before serving add the squash, green beans, and greens, if using. Continue to cook and in 5 minutes add the noodles or potatoes, chicken, herbs, and lemon zest and cook 5 more minutes. Check and adjust the seasonings, then ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve.
Poaching Chicken Breasts
Step 2
To poach chicken breasts, bring 2 cups of strained Chicken Stock (p. 206) to a simmer in a medium skillet. Add 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt and pepper, and a sprig of tarragon and/or thyme, if desired, and gently simmer for 15 minutes, turning once. Allow the chicken to cool and shred or dice the meat, and add the remaining broth to the soup pot.
Soup Variations
Step 3
Feel free to vary the vegetables in this soup to fit the season or the personality of your particular market. To give the chicken soup an Asian flavor, for instance, replace the cloves with star anise and add cilantro stems to the Bouquet Garni. Then add Asian greens like bok choy, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), Japanese eggplant, and dried or fresh mushrooms. For an autumn-inspired soup, replace the green beans and summer squash with root vegetables (parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga), butternut squash, and/or cabbage.
Bouquet Garni
Step 4
Having trained with French chefs, I find a bouquet garni—a pretty little bundle of fresh herbs—an indispensable seasoning for adding depth and an herbaceous perfume to stocks, soups, and sauces. Plus I always feel just a little more French when I cinch one up.
Step 5
To assemble one, take 1 bunch of parsley stems, stripped of leaves (or most of them), 2 small bay leaves or 1 medium, and a generous sprig of fresh thyme. Lay the parsley stems down and spread them a little, then place the bay leaf and thyme in the center and surround with the parsley stems. Cut a 15-inch piece of kitchen twine and pick up the bundle in your left hand. Holding the string about 3 inches from the end between the thumb and index finger of your left hand, use your right hand to wrap the string twice around one end of the bundle, then bring the string down to the other end, wrapping around twice, then back to the middle and around once, meeting the 3-inch piece and tying a secure knot. Some folks like to leave a long piece to tie the bouquet onto the pot handle (making it easier to remove later), but I usually just trim it short. In a nod to French perfectionism, I also trim the ends of the herbs so they’re nice and neat. And be sure to tie it snugly. If the bundle is not tied tightly, it can disintegrate when the parsley stems cook and become limp.
