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Barefoot ole!
By Ann | December 20, 2007
Perhaps I should be eating last week’s dismissive words about Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten. I made the book’s recipe for Mexican chicken soup last night and it reminded me all over again why I love the Barefoot Contessa.
For one thing, her recipes are extremely clear and straightforward, not at all fussy. I began by roasting some bone-in chicken breasts, a technique she uses quite often that I ususally replace by poaching. Actually, the roasting resulted in moist meat, more tender and flavorful than usual. Score one for la Contessa. The soup, a combination of chopped onions, celery, carrots (which I used even though I dislike cooked carrots), garlic, crushed canned tomatoes and chicken stock, was made fragrant with jalapenos, cumin, ground coriander (which I didn’t have), and chopped cilantro (which, FYI, all you Ina fans, she hates). Strips of corn tortilla disintegrated during the short simmer and thickened the soup. I added the shredded chicken at the end (unfortuantely, my mania for hot-hot-hot food meant that it overcooked slightly, but that is my fault). I served the soup topped with Total Fage yogurt (instead of sour cream), sliced avocado, grated cheddar (Cabot, 75% fat free), and a few crushed tortilla chips. The result was a one-pot meal that was hearty and hot, but also colorful and slightly exotic.
In the future, I might add ancho chili powder, or a squirt of Sriracha, for a little kick.
UPDATE: Here’s a link to the recipe.
Topics: Cooking the Books |
December 20th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Viva the Mexican penicillin! There were so many elements to this soup, so I am surprised to hear that it was simple and straightforward to prepare. The finely chopped veggies were particularly gratifying — and, I’m guessing, good for us. I brought a serving for lunch and absolutely loved it on the second day!
December 29th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Sounds delicious. (How can anyone hate cilantro?)