Soups On!

In this corner, we have Legumes...


...and in this corner, we have the defending champion, Chicken Stock!

I start work tomorrow. In preparation for work-life, I am making stock and legumes tonight. I am making a chicken stock, white beans, lentils, and garbanzos. The chicken soup will give me a base for other soups that I can make during the week and the legumes will keep in my refrigerator or freezer until I need them. This way, after a hard day's work, I can whip up a soup or make something with the legumes like, 3 bean salad or whatever, cook up a protein and veggies and dinner is served in no time.

For the chicken stock, I am combining my mom's chicken soup and Nadia G's liquid gold chicken broth recipes:
2 TBS grape seed oil
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1/2 to 1 whole chicken, cut up
1 sprig epazote
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh oregano
1 sprig fresh thyme
1. sprig tarragon
celery leaves from 1 stalk
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat grape seed oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add onion and saute for another 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery and saute for another minute or so. Add the chicken pieces and pour water over it until it covers the chicken (about 8 cups).
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Tie the epazote, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, tarragon, and celery leaves and add to the stock.
4. Partially cover and simmer on low for about 2 hours.
5. When the stalk has been simmering for about 2 hours add salt and pepper, remove from heat. 6. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside.
7.. Strain the stalk into another pot over a strainer lined with a cheese cloth.
8. You can use this stalk as a base for soups.


The legumes are basically done the same way:
1. Rinse legumes in strainer and pick out any foreign bits or broken or shriveled pieces.
2. Place them in a pot and cover with water.
3. Soak for at least 2 hours.
4. Drain and rinse again and place back in pot
5. Add 4 to 6 water in each pot.
6. Add about 3 whole garlic cloves (no need to peel them because you are going to take these out later) and about 1/2 an onion.
7. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper.
8. Bring to a boil.
9. Add a bouquet of whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. I used thyme, oregano, epazote, and a bay leaf.
10. Simmer on low, partially covered for about 2 hours.

Note 1: You can drain the garbanzo beans and refrigerate to be used in other dishes or salads.
Note 2: I like to leave the beans in their soup form and eat them as a soup the day I make them. Then refrigerate and use a drained portion in salads.
Note 3: To re-fry the white beans I put some of the beans and their soup in a large skillet. Add a tablespoon of grape seed oil and cook over medium to low heat. Once they are bubbling, I mash them and let them cook down some more.

Enjoy!

XOXO
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