While nothing like friends back home in Montana have seen this week it’s been unseasonably cold here on the left coast the past few days.
Hells bells, it didn’t ever clear freezing here in the lower Sound region yesterday, making even the most ardent AGW disciples shiver, quiver and run for their ski hats, mittens and heaviest winter coats. We’ve been digging out favorite soup and gumbo recipes all week and it’s finally gotten chilly enough to have actually worn socks for a few days.
A friend from Bozeman (JT) called yesterday with this recipe; his wife is slogging through her doctoral program at MSU and was given the this magic list of ingredients by another researcher in her department – Blanca from New Mexico.
Blanca had promised authentic green-chile-goodness that would make you think you were eating on the square in Santa Fe, though cautioned it was bit rich with the four cups of heavy cream (which have to be used to make this recipe work).
JT is not what anyone would call a whiz in the kitchen (though he does row a driftboat passably well and stays busy in a more-or-less honorable day job as a real estate attorney) and even he was able to pull Blanca’s Cream of Green Chile Chicken Soup off “like an iron chef”.
He said the soup was so good his wife has offered to trade certain ‘favors’ for another recipe of it this weekend, adding something about good food having magical powers…
‘Nuff said.
1/2 lb. butter
2 large carrots, diced medium
1 large onion, diced medium
5 stalks celery, diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1 lb. boneless ‘just barely cooked’ chicken, bite-size dice
4 cups chicken stock
1 and 1/2 cup roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded, chopped small
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté time. In a large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter; add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes until smooth the raw flour smell has abated.
Chicken time. Add the diced chicken and the chicken stock; stir to combine well. Bring to a boil, the reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Now add the good stuff. Stir in the green chiles, heavy cream, thyme, salt and pepper; heat for 4 to 5 minutes until steaming but don’t boil.
Enjoy.
