Monday, February 21, 2011

Make-A-Wish(bone) Soup... for dreary February days



If you’ve ever read “Stone Soup” to your children or grandchildren - it’s a great story about cooperation and sharing.  But - even in real life - it doesn’t take much more than the desire to make soup to make it spring to life and end up with enough to share.  Beginning with turkey or chicken broth, this comforting soup is surprisingly delicious.

The weather is teasing us here lately with warm temperatures and sun - but then reality always hits.  When we have a week of unexpected snow, I like to experiment with new soups.
This one I found on cjaneinthekitchen.  She mentions that her mother makes it from the turkey carcass after Thanksgiving - but it works just as well with chicken.  Since I still have frozen turkey & broth - I decided to retrieve it from the freezer and give this a try.  
By the way - did you ever fight over the wish-bone when you were a kid?   It actually began with the Etruscan’s - who believed that fowl could predict the future.  The Romans embraced this custom, fighting over the unbroken bones of chickens because they wanted good fortune.  The phrases “I need a lucky break” or “I never get a break” came from the loser in the tug of collarbone contests.  This quickly spread throughout England, and eventually when the Pilgrims found an abundance of turkeys here - the custom changed from chicken to turkey.  So - before you make broth from your bird - see if it’s your turn for a “break”...

This is not a clear broth soup.  It reminds me of creamy clam chowder - but with a rich poultry flavor.  Instead of potatoes, the long grain rice is hardly noticeable.  Most of my family asked how I got the potatoes so tender, only to find out it was rice instead.  My grandchildren really liked it (it’s not often they ask for more soup before dessert...)

This was a hearty, comforting soup for a dreary, drab February day.   Serve with fresh homemade bread and sliced apples and cheese.  If your meat-eaters complain - make them a grilled ham & cheese sandwich on the side and they will be perfectly content.

You'll find the recipe at:

1 comment:

  1. This is my favorite kind of soup, and I love that it uses ingredients that might be discarded. It looks so hearty and delicious.

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