Jacques Pepins Chicken Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175F.
• Cut extra skin and fat off each thigh. Cut a 1/2 " slit into meat on either side of the bone, so that chicken will cook faster and evenly.
• Season thighs with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
• Place chicken into non-stick skillet, skin side down, on high heat.
• When chicken starts to sizzle, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 16-18 minutes. If browning too quickly after 10 minutes, reduce heat to low.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a heat proof platter and place in oven to keep warm. Pepin recommends keeping your serving plates in the oven so that they will be warm when you plate the chicken.
• Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the skillet. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and white wine. If any liquid has accumulated on the platter in the oven, add that liquid to the pan.
• Cook over high heat for 1 minute, to reduce the liquid a bit.
• Divide the mushroom mixture between 4 plates. Place one piece of chicken on top and garnish with chives to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and pepper and fold the wings akimbo to position them closer to the body. Place the chicken on its side in an oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron.
• Place the chicken in the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook another 20 minutes. (By cooking the chicken on its sides, the juices stay in the breast and, since only the back is exposed, the chicken does not need constant basting.) Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, baste it with the cooking juices and continue to cook 10 minutes. It should be golden in color.
• When the chicken is cooked, cut it into pieces and serve, with the drippings on the side.

Steps:

• Place the bones and the water in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 30 minutes. Most of the fat and impurities will come to the surface during this time; skim off and discard as much of them as you can.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients, return the liquid to a boil and boil gently for 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or through a colander lined with a dampened cloth kitchen towel or dampened paper towels.
• Allow the stock to cool. Then remove the surface fat and freeze the stock in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Use as needed.

Steps:

• Wash the gizzards and hearts under cool running water, place them in a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard any fat and impurities that rise. Cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the gizzards and hearts from the cooking liquid and place them on a chopping board. When cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch pieces or chop them coarsely in a food processor. Return them to the cooking liquid with the celery, carrots and salt. Bring back to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the the heat to low and boil gently for another 45 minutes.
• Add the cornmeal, scallions and dill and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon into bowls. Garnish, if desired, with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium high heat for about eight minutes or until they are lightly browned.
• Add stock, salt and pepper (if your stock is salted, do not add additional salt) and boil gently for about 15 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
• Toast the baguette slices in the oven.
• Place one or two slices of baguette in the bottom of each of four ovenproof crocks.
• Add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to each crock and place the crocks on a cookie sheet.
• Ladle the onion and stock mixture into the crocks.
• Top with the remaining grated cheese, pressing some of the cheese against the lip of each crock.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese is beautifully browned.
• In the last few moments, place the remaining baguette slices in the oven to warm.
• Serve the soup immediately with the toasted slices of baguette.