Sunday, March 30, 2008

DEXTER TOOK OFF - LEFT HIS MOM'S DAY CARD, SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A RECIPE!


This is called: IMPERIAL SOUP! I'm just about as 'imperial' as they get; in my old age, I'm really quite a lovely 'queen' - this has no preservatives, and will keep you ever so healthy and slender!
Take two cups of chicken stock; add 1/2 cup of flour
Once that's all blended (and I use a blender to keep it lump-free), set it aside.
Saute: 2 stalks of celery; diced
2 carrots; diced
1 medium red onion; diced
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1/3 cup of BLANCHED SLIVERED ALMONDS
Use butter or olive-oil to saute all of these ingredients until very soft.
Now add in the stock/flour mixture that you've blended.
Add: 1.5 cups of Half & Half
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
A few springs of parsley - or thyme - or basil - or all 3 if you like.
Put in 1 to 2 cups of diced, baked or boiled chicken (great for left-over chicken)
Add: 1 teaspoon of coarse-ground black pepper (white pepper is prettier if you have it on hand).
Keep it on a simmer - do NOT let it get 'hot' - ruins the texture.
Simmer - smell; relax an hour or so at least before you fix up your favorite fresh salad and call everyone to dinner!