Montclair Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 25

flavor Soup for the Soul Pour yourself a bowl on a raw March day WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATE MORGAN JACKSON Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup SERVES 4-6 INGREDIENTS 6 1 1 1 2 ¼ ¼ 2 cups chicken broth cup bow-tie pasta cup carrots, peeled and chopped cup celery, chopped cups shredded cooked chicken cup butter cup flour cups milk Salt and pepper Fresh chopped parsley for garnish DIRECTIONS • Bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan. • Add pasta and veggies and simmer until pasta is done and veggies are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in chicken. • Melt butter in a separate pot. Whisk in flour until well combined, then whisk in milk. • Bring to a simmer, then pour into the soup. Stir until combined and simmer for one more minute. • Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into warmed bowls. Garnish with parsley and serve. Parmesan Polenta Chicken Soup T here is nothing quite as warm and wonderful on a raw March day as a piping hot bowl of comforting chicken soup. Traditional chicken noodle soup is a classic, but every now and then it’s deliciously fun to update an old favorite. Turn it a little creamy with just a few additional ingredients. And if you are in the mood to shake things up even more, this parmesan polenta version swaps spinach for the carrots and celery, polenta takes the place of the noodles, and the parmesan adds a lovely cheese flavor. Top it off with a dollop of soft butter if you are feeling extra decadent! 24 SPRING 2018 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE SERVES 4-6 INGREDIENTS 6 ½ 1 4 2 cups chicken broth cup fine yellow cornmeal cup finely shredded parmesan cheese cups baby spinach cups shredded cooked chicken Salt and pepper Olive oil for drizzling Butter, softened (optional) DIRECTIONS • Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large deep saucepan. • Pour the cornmeal into the broth in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the soup is slightly thickened. • Whisk in cheese and simmer for one more minute. • Stir in spinach and chicken and simmer for another 3-5 minutes until spinach is wilted and chicken is heated through. • Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil. • Last but not least — and this is optional — float a dollop of butter on top of each serving.