January 27th, 2008
Taste: Chickeny, bursting with umami, herbal flavor from the marjoram, slightly lemony and caramel-y from the onions.
Apparently there are certain dishes which you’re not supposed to use when ‘entertaining.’ I’ve got several cookbooks which caution that certain recipes aren’t for guests. Well, I wasn’t aware of this distinction until recently and I’ve been serving non-guestworthy foods to my guests for a long time, shockingly no one has ever called me out on it.
The following recipe is for such a dish, an unassuming chicken soup, brightened up with a good bit of marjoram. I made it a few weeks ago for company, and my friend Clark suggested that I make it the subject of one of our video episodes.
You’re going to need:
- 2 skin-on chicken breasts
- 2 chicken thighs
- 3 small onions, chopped (I leave some sliced into bigger pieces as well)
- 3 carrots (or parsnips, if you prefer) sliced into discs, or chopped, depending on your preference
- 4 ribs of celery, chopped
- 2-4 medium potatoes
- a couple of handfuls of green beans, trimmed
- a few sprigs fresh marjoram
- crushed red pepper
- salt and pepper
- broth or water and soup base
- juice of half a lemon (optional)
Pat dry the chicken and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper. Sear it, skin side down, in a hot pan with a little bit of olive oil, until the skin is crisp and the fat has rendered from it. While it’s cooking, season generously with salt and pepper. Flip the breasts and cook for a few more minutes until the juices run clear when pierced, then remove onto a clean plate and cover loosely.
To the rendered chicken fat, add the chopped celery, the onions and the carrots, and stir well. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. As the veggies start to release their liquids, grab a wooden spoon, and scrape the bits of chicken off the side of the pan. When the onions becomes translucent, add the potatoes and enough water or broth to cover. I like to include a bit of chicken soup base, makes the soup taste richer, just watch out not to make it too salty.
Bring the soup to a boil. Stir. Taste, adjust the seasoning. Let it simmer until the potatoes are completely tender and can be smooshed against the side of the pot easily. Add in the green beans. While they cook, chop or shred the chicken and add it to the pot. Continue to simmer until the green beans are just tender. Add in the marjoram, tearing the leaves off the stems and bruising them slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Squeeze in a bit of lemon juice if you like. Serve with some crusty bread. Enjoy.
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