Jacques Pepins Chicken Soup Food

JACQUES PéPIN'S FRIDGE SOUP TURNS LEFTOVERS INTO A QUICK + EASY MEAL

Steps:

• If using the chicken skin, preheat oven to 400˚F
• If raw, season with salt
• Roast until crisp and browned, 5 to 10 minutes if leftover or 20 to 25 minutes if raw
• Trim all the vegetables, wash and cut into ¾ inch pieces so vegetables are a similar size for even cooking
• Place in a pot with the stock and bring to a boil
• Cook 15 to 20 minutes, then add the grits, stir and boil for about 10 minutes
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with grated cheese and top with crisp chicken skin

JACQUES PEPIN'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Wash the gizzards and hearts under cool running water, place them in a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard any fat and impurities that rise. Cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the gizzards and hearts from the cooking liquid and place them on a chopping board. When cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch pieces or chop them coarsely in a food processor. Return them to the cooking liquid with the celery, carrots and salt. Bring back to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the the heat to low and boil gently for another 45 minutes.
• Add the cornmeal, scallions and dill and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon into bowls. Garnish, if desired, with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

JACQUES PEPIN'S CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175F.
• Cut extra skin and fat off each thigh. Cut a 1/2 " slit into meat on either side of the bone, so that chicken will cook faster and evenly.
• Season thighs with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
• Place chicken into non-stick skillet, skin side down, on high heat.
• When chicken starts to sizzle, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 16-18 minutes. If browning too quickly after 10 minutes, reduce heat to low.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a heat proof platter and place in oven to keep warm. Pepin recommends keeping your serving plates in the oven so that they will be warm when you plate the chicken.
• Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the skillet. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and white wine. If any liquid has accumulated on the platter in the oven, add that liquid to the pan.
• Cook over high heat for 1 minute, to reduce the liquid a bit.
• Divide the mushroom mixture between 4 plates. Place one piece of chicken on top and garnish with chives to serve.

JACQUES PEPIN'S ONION SOUP GRATINEE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium high heat for about eight minutes or until they are lightly browned.
• Add stock, salt and pepper (if your stock is salted, do not add additional salt) and boil gently for about 15 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
• Toast the baguette slices in the oven.
• Place one or two slices of baguette in the bottom of each of four ovenproof crocks.
• Add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to each crock and place the crocks on a cookie sheet.
• Ladle the onion and stock mixture into the crocks.
• Top with the remaining grated cheese, pressing some of the cheese against the lip of each crock.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese is beautifully browned.
• In the last few moments, place the remaining baguette slices in the oven to warm.
• Serve the soup immediately with the toasted slices of baguette.