Chicken Soup with Garlic, Saffron, Basil, and Tomatoes Recipe
Ingredients:
One small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped, about 1 - 1/2 half cups
1 leak, white part only, washed and chopped
1 medium size carrot, chopped
1 small, turnip, peeled and chopped
6 medium size mushrooms, sliced
1 bouquet garni
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
5 medium size, tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped or 2 1/2 cups, canned, seeded and drained
1 - 4 pound chicken, quartered
1 cup tightly, packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh, cooked dried or canned cannellini beans
One bunch of spinach, stems removed, chiffonade - about 1 cup packed leaves
Sea salt
Tellicherry peppercorns, freshly ground
2 cups of garlic and saffron mayonnaise
A nice French Bread
Directions:
1. Combine the fennel, leek, carrot, turnip, mushrooms, and the bouquet garni with the broth and a 4 quart pot.
2. Simmer gently over medium heat until the vegetables barely begin to soften, about 10 minutes
3. Add the tomatoes and chicken to the simmering soup.
4. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged and simmer for about 20 minutes more
5. Take the chicken out of the soup with a slotted spoon and let cool
6. Peel off the skin. Pull the chicken away from the bone and cut it into chunks.
7. Sprinkle the basil leaves with olive oil to keep them from turning dark and chop them with finely with a knife or blender.
8 . Put the chicken back in the soup along with the beans and spinach and simmer the soup for about two minutes.
9. Season with salt and pepper
10. Put half the garlic and saffron mayonnaise in a mixing bowl and whisk in the hot soup.
11. Place a slice of French bread toast in the bottom of each soup bowl and ladle the soup over it.
Drizzle the top of each bowl with a tablespoon of garlic mayonnaise and a tablespoon of the basil cream.
