Chicken Soup with Dumplings
This is a rich, complex chicken soup with dumplings. It is based on a recipe by Thomas Keller as written in his book, Ad Hoc at Home.
5 lbs chicken bones, necks, and backs
1 lb chicken feet
4 quarts cold water
8 cups ice cubes
1 ¾ cups carrots, 1-inch diced
2 cups leeks, 1-inch diced
1 ½ cups Spanish onions, 1-inch diced
1 bay leaf
½ cup water
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
⅔ cup flour
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
4 tsp minced chives
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely-chopped celery
1 cup coarsely-chopped onion
1 cup coarsely-chopped leeks
Kosher salt
½ cup roux
1 ½ cups celery, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch
1 ½ cups carrots, scrubbed and cut bite size
1 tsp honey
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
1 large garlic clove, crushed with skin on
Kosher salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken (diced, shredded, dark, white, as you like)
¼ cup minced chives
Champagne vinegar to taste
Parsley to garnish
Wash blood and organs off of all the chicken parts.
Bring chicken and water to a simmer, skim, and add ice. Skim the fat that's consolidated by the ice.
Add the rest of the ingredients, simmer for 40 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes.
40 minutes
Gently strain stock so as to not push impurities through mesh.
Bring back to heat and cook down to 4 ½ quarts.
Fill a wide pot with salted water and bring to simmer.
Combine water, butter, and 1 tsp of salt in a medium saucepan; bring to simmer.
Add flour and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, bringing out a nutty aroma, but being careful not to brown.
5 minutes
Put dough in mixing bowl, add mustard and salt, and start mixing on low speed.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Add chives.
Make quenelles from the dough with two spoons, and cook for about 7 minutes in the large pot of salted water. Rest on cutting board.
7 minutes
Melt the butter on low heat.
Add vegetables and salt, then cook on low heat for 30–35 minutes, covered with a parchment lid.
30–35 minutes
Add the stock, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and discard.
30 minutes
Whisk in the roux, a little at a time, and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming out impurities. Use enough roux to thicken to your preference.
30 minutes
Blanche the celery in salted water until tender, then cool in ice bath.
Put carrots in a saucepan with honey, bay, thyme, garlic, a pinch of salt, and water to just cover. Simmer until tender (5 minutes).
5 minutes
Add dumplings, chicken, carrots, celery, and chives to the soup.
Add vinegar ½ tbsp at a time to taste.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
- •Dairy free variation: use Miyokos butter or oil, but experiment so the roux is the right consistency (not solid, should flow off of a spoon).
- •Whole grain flour tastes great in both dumplings and roux, but is harder to strain out because of the bran, so plan a bit extra time and patience for that.
- •Soup keeps fresh for five days in the refrigerator.