4-5 large sprigs of fresh parsley, plus additional chopped parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Peel onion and set aside. Wrap in a piece of cheesecloth with the thyme and bay leaves and tie them securely.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, place the chicken in it, breast side down and cook without moving it until the breast is golden brown, then turn the chicken to brown on the other three sides, which’ll take 12-15 minutes in total.
Once browned, remove the chicken from the pot, place it on a plate, and add the shallots to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes and cook for another few minutes, stirring frequently. Add a splash of vermouth to deglaze the pan. Put the chicken in the pot along with the cheesecloth of thyme and bay leaves (known as a bouquet garni). Add parsley sprigs and the water and stock so it covers the chicken by about three-quarters. Season with salt and pepper, cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, with the lid partially off. Cook for about 1 hour, or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if need be, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top and serve at once. Taking the chicken out and butchering it on a cutting board before dividing it into servings works best here.
Easy Black Bean Soup (With Toppings)
Portion Size
4
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp ground cumin
1 19 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 19 oz can refried black beans
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Possible toppings: Fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream or yoghurt, crushed tortilla chips, pickled jalapeno slices, fresh or pickled red onion.
Directions
In a medium pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add cumin, stir and cook for a minute more.
Add the cans of black and refried and the 2 cups of broth. Stir together, breaking up the refried beans with the back of a wooden spoon against the interior of the pot. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes or until bubbling hot. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed, then top with as few or as many garnishes and you’d like, though cilantro and onion are a must in my books.
Split Pea Soup
Portion Size
6
Ingredients
1 medium cooking onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup dried green split peas, picked over and rinsed
6 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup fresh dill
For Croutons:
2 cups of day-old baguette cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp zaatar spice mix
Pinch of salt
Directions
In a large stock pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the carrots, split peas, vegetable stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the croutons by heating a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add oil and warm it in pan before adding bread cubes. Toss bread in oil and stir to coat evenly in oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, zaatar and a pinch of salt, then toss again to evenly distribute. Continue pan-frying croutons on all sides until golden, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
When soup is done, remove the pot from the heat, discard the bay leaves and let the soup cool slightly. Purée using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in small batches. I like it smooth, but feel free to leave it chunky if you’d like.
Stir in chopped fresh dill once soup is off the heat. Serve hot, topped with more fresh dill if you’d like, and a bunch of crunchy croutons.
