One of the things I love most about Chefs….seat of their pants, makin’ it up on the fly, amazing food! Below is the quote from Executive Chef Rebecca Tillman processing our request for a soup. I don’t recall that she gave it a name…so I did!!

“So I am not a recipe writer and actually don’t cook with them so here is the recipe I came up with for the soup I just made…”

Ingredients

`1 pound chicken thighs (boneless skinless can be used)- better flavor than chicken breast
`4 leaves of Lacinto Kale
`2 small heirloom tomatoes (can use any smaller vine ripe tomato)- seeds removed, julienne
`1 cup purple cauliflower florets cut small
`1 heirloom carrot cut in 4 pieces lengthwise, then thinly cut on a bias
`1 small vadalia onion small diced
`5 each fresh green beans cut on a bias
`3 cloves fresh garlic chopped
`1/2 cup white wine (use what you would drink)
`1/4 cup Farro or similar grain
`1 liter chicken stock
`1 lemon
`1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves
`1/4 cup chiffonade Italian parsley
`Sea Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions
Cut all the vegetables first and place them on a tray separate out. You will not add them all at once so don’t mix them.
Cut the chicken into a medium dice

In a medium size pot, heat a small amount of oil (grape seed or canola) enough to coat the bottom of the pan. When the pan is hot, Add the chicken and let cook until it is almost totally cooked. Be careful not to stir it too often.

Add the onions and sauté for about 2 minutes or until they are starting to Caramelize.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine. You should probably drink some too…

Add the garlic and scrap the bottom of the pan to get all the good bits that might have stuck to the bottom.

Add the Farro, carrots and cauliflower, herbs and continue to cooked for about 3 minutes stiring occasionally.

Add the Kale, tomatoes and chicken stock.
Bring mixture to a light boil and turn down to a simmer

Let cook for about 20 minutes, season, add 1/4 lemon zest (only the outside part non one the white inner pith, otherwise you soup will be bitter)

Once the flavor is where you want it to be (should be light and delicate) add the beans and take off the heat to serve.

Serve with a crusty bread!

If this don’t say SUMMER, nothin’ does!!!

Jennifer says, “This soup was inspired and suggested by Chef Chrysa, after giving me a bunch of roasted beets:)”

15 yellow beets (Roasted and Peeled)
2 cloves garlic
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 c Heavy Cream
Rosemary
Thyme
Parsley
Salt to taste

Sautée chicken stock with garlic and herbs. Add beets and bring to a boil. Simmer on low 10 minutes and then remove from heat. Blend and then return to a medium heat. Slowly add cream, mix thoroughly and serve with horseradish Crema 🙂