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Soup Supper with Friends
Soup Supper with Friends
By: Patricia Mendez
This is the year you have vowed that you will get together more often with your friends. Why not have them into your home for a comforting soup supper? Southwest Chicken Soup with Cheese Cornmeal Dumplings evokes welcome and love. Try this easy entertaining recipe and add a delicious salad and purchase a dessert from a bakery for a fantastic meal. Serve with wine such as a pinot noir or syrah.
You may make the soup the day before (except for the dumplings). Re-heat it 25 minutes before your friends arrive and when it is bubbling, add the dumplings. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken saves time and is least expensive purchased from a warehouse store. Or, if you prefer, simply buy a package of 3 chicken breasts and 6 thighs, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Cool, skin, bone and chop for soup.
Happy Entertaining!
Southwest Chicken Soup with Cheese Cornmeal Dumplings
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 whole rotisserie chicken (available at most grocery stores), skinned, boned, chopped
3 quarts chicken broth (soup aisle)
¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 white onions, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 zucchini squash, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
2 limes, quartered
Cheese Cornmeal Dumplings
1/3 cup all-purpose cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
For Soup: Skin, bone, and shred the chicken meat; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Pour the chicken broth into a large soup pot. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste and turn the heat to medium. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, jalapeños, garlic, bay leaf, and oregano, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are transparent. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. Carefully add this mixture to the chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cooked chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
For Dumplings: Mix all dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix oil and milk together and combine with dry ingredients. Add cheese and chopped cilantro and drop with a tablespoon into simmering soup. Cover & simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Guests may squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice on their soup before eating.
Tip: When chopping jalapeños, cut off the stem first and then cut the pepper in half lengthwise. With a small knife, cut out the seeds and white ribs and discard. Cut the pepper lengthwise into strips about 1/8 inch wide. Turn and chop the strips widthwise to end up with finely chopped pepper. After you are finished, be sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water, especially under your nails. If you forget to wash your hands and you touch your eye later, it will burn from the pepper you have left on your hands.
Patricia is the author of the book, Easy Entertaining for Beginners. The book is an award-winning finalist in the cookbook: general category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.
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