Chicken Soup: The Strange and Wonderful Edition

I'm not going to lie, this soup is weird. And weird is just what the doctor ordered yesterday. I woke up feeling a little under the weather and knew right away it was going to be a chicken soup kind of day. While browsing through some old issues of Cooking Light, I came across a most unusual soup. I read the list of ingredients and immediately thought: turnips? thyme? chicken? cheese? ... yeah, that sounds about right! And, happily, it was.

More happiness ensued when I realized I was in possession of some yummy Kerrygold Aged Cheddar cheese to add to the soup. While the original recipe called for reduced-fat cheddar, I opted for the rich and creamy Kerrygold and reduced the amount slightly. I've altered the recipe significantly, both the method of preparation and list of ingredients, to suit my tastes. Chief among those tastes was my complete disinterest in boiling a whole chicken to create the broth. I went straight for a mixture of canned chicken and vegetable broths and the results were magnificent.

The original recipe appears in the January/February 2000 issue of Cooking Light - below is my adapted version.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup with Turnips:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and chopped (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, leaves included, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• some Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• dash of curry powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried summer savory
• the leaves from 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 1/2 cups low-fat, reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups of reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups of peeled yellow turnip (rutabaga) cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup of brown and wild rice mix (or use either rice alone)
• 2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken
  
• 1/4 cup of fat free Half and Half
• 1/4 cup of non-fat milk
• 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, such as Kerrygold Aged Cheddar, plus some additional for garnish
• some chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium high heat. Add the leeks, shallot, celery, carrots, a pinch of salt and a generous grating of fresh black pepper, stir to combine. Add the dried basil, dried summer savory, the thyme and a dash of curry powder and saute for approximately 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the chicken broth, vegetable broth, turnips and rice mixture and bring the soup to the boil. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat, cover and allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes or until the turnips and rice are tender.

Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the turnips to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Return the mashed turnips to the soup and stir well to incorporate. Add the cooked chicken, the Half and Half, the milk and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted. Allow the soup to cook for 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is thoroughly heated. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle the soup into a serving bowl, garnish with some additional shredded cheddar cheese and a dusting of chopped fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve 6. While it may not be the most photogenic soup on the block, I can tell you the flavor is extraordinary! So much so that the husband, who is not a fan of yellow turnips, downed two huge bowls of it. The turnips really mellow as they simmer and they lend a welcomed sweetness to the finished dish. Needless to say, I'll be submitting this one to Deb's Souper Sundays round-up on Kahakai Kitchen. I hope you'll try it!

Between the gallons of Airborne I downed yesterday, and this nutrient rich soup, I may just be able to nip this cold in the bud. Here's hoping anyway.

So, do you crave strange flavor combination when you're under the weather ... or is that just me? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!