Soup is always an obvious choice for leftover-turkey-themed videos, but it wasn’t until I heard about “Thanksgivingukkah,” that I knew that soup would be turkey matzo ball.

This year, Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah fall on the same date for the first time since 1888, and this rare occurrence has been deemed, “Thanksgivingukkah.” And when we say rare, we mean rare, as this convergence will not happen again for another 77,000 years!

As I mention in the video, while pleased with my matzo ball skills, I’m not sure I’ve ever had the real thing (if that even exists), and so I don’t have anything to measure mine against. I’ve had it at delicatessens out here, but never in NYC, or other more legit locations. I’m using what seems to be a fairly standard formula, and they are quite light and tender, so until informed otherwise, I’m going assume these are pretty good.

However, there is one thing I would love to know. Why do “we” boil the matzo balls in salted water, instead of the soup? I’ve heard it’s so the broth doesn’t get cloudy, but is that really all there is to it? Speaking of the broth, yours will undoubtedly be superior to mine. By the time I got to this video, I only had a few scrawny pounds of meat and bones left, and yet it still came out wonderfully flavorful.

If you use all the scraps from a decent sized bird, you should get an incredibly rich broth, which is exactly what you want to be ladling over your matzo balls. As far as extra ingredients go, I like a minimalist approach with this soup, but of course, feel free to embellish your stockpot with whatever you see fit.

Some of this will be determined by how you season your Thanksgiving bird, and I can personally verify that this year’s Peruvian version worked nicely. So, I hope you enjoy the coming Thanksgivingukkah, and here’s hoping the end of your turkey means the beginning of a delicious matzo ball soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions (I only served one matzo ball, but this will make enough soup for 4 portions with 2 matzo balls per serving):

For the turkey broth:

3-4 pounds of roasted turkey bones and meat scraps (use everything you have, the fattier the pieces the better)

at least 2 quarts water or chicken broth, or enough to cover

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery

- simmer on low for 3 hours or until all the meat falls off the bones and it’s flavorless.

- skim and reserve at least 4 tbsp of the melted fat that rises to the top

- strain, and you should have about 6 cups of broth. If you have more, reduce down to 6 cups (do not season with salt until reduced). If you didn’t get quite 6 cups, just add some chicken broth to make up the difference.

Note: my turkey was already very well seasoned, so I didn’t need to add much to the stockpot. You can adjust your broth according, and can certainly add things like bay leaf, thyme springs, parsley stems, etc.

For the matzo balls (makes 8):

2 large beaten eggs

2 tbsp rendered melted turkey fat

1 tsp fine salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

2 tbsp seltzer or club soda

1/2 cup matzo meal

- Mix and chill 30 minutes at least

- Boil in salted water (1 1/2 quarts water with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt) for 30 minutes and serve with turkey broth

For the soup:

2 tbsp rendered melted turkey fat

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

6 cups very rich turkey or chicken broth (see recipe above)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped dill

8 cooked matzo balls!

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Warning: this is not vichyssoise.

I enjoy making fun of arbitrarily designated food holidays as much as the next food blogger, and like many, I use them as a convenient excuse to repost seasonally appropriate recipes, not really caring how the day came about, but National Vichyssoise Day is different.

Seriously, someone needs to find out how it came to be that we’re celebrating a chilled potato and leek soup in the middle of November. I took a quick look, and while there are countless references to the day, as usual, no info on its genesis. As a B-list YouTube celebrity, I’m far too busy to do any further research, but if any of you food detectives crack the case, please let me know.

Shockingly, I’ve not done a vichyssoise video yet, so you’ll have to settle for this incredibly comforting ham and potato soup. While not as seasonally inappropriate as Vichyssoise, it’s delicious nonetheless, and one of our most popular soup recipes ever. Enjoy!

Click here for the ingredients, and to read the original post.

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It’s been awhile since I dropped a Seinfeld reference, but this hearty tomato bisque had me reminiscing about the famous “soup’s not a meal” episode. It’s rich, hearty, and satisfyingly thick without being heavy. Sorry, Bania, it counts. 

There are different opinions on what makes something a bisque. Technically, it’s made from some sort of shellfish puree, but modern usage includes vegetables as well. Above and beyond that, it has to have cream, and be thickened with rice.

One problem with many of the tomato soups I’ve had, is that they are either thickened with tons of tomato paste, which is like eating a bowl of pasta sauce, or they’re thickened with a flour roux or cornstarch slurry, which leaves them too pasty for me. A little rice thickens the soup just as well , but also gives it a nice silky texture.

As far as the canned tomatoes go, we’re using the same argument here we use for tomato sauce. Unless you have some amazingly sweet, vine-ripened specimens around, that you’ve peeled, seeded, and cooked down to get rid of the excess moisture, then chances are San Marzano tomatoes will produce a superior product.

I tried to stress in the video how important it is to adjust the seasonings to your liking,  especially the sweetness. Many of us were raised on Campbell’s tomato soup (and grilled cheese sandwiches, of course), and because that flavor is so ingrained in our taste memories, you need to get this at least close for it to work. Taste, adjust, taste, adjust, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

3 cloves garlic

1 quart chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 (28-oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or about 3 1/2 cups of other crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp paprika

3 tbsp white long grain rice

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 or 2 tsp sugar, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

basil to garnish

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I’ve never been a big cold soup fan. Where I’m from, cold soup gets sent back, but over the years I’ve grown to appreciate things like gazpacho, vichyssoise, and…that’s about it. Well, thanks to this gorgeous chilled sugar snap pea soup, my repertoire just expanded in a very delicious way.

Traditionally (from what I hear), chilled pea soups are made with English peas, but thanks to the very user-friendly sugar snap, not only is there no shelling involved here, but I think they impart an even sweeter flavor. Speaking of sweet flavor, you’re going to want to contrast that by garnishing with some sour cream or crème fraiche. If you can’t get or have that, then use a few drops of lemon juice or rice vinegar to balance the flavors. 

As far as the mint goes though, I’d make every effort to obtain some, as I can’t imagine another herb pairing as well. Lastly, the Snoop Dogg reference in the title foreshadows a Snoop Dogg reference made during the garnishing portion of the video. For more information, ask your kids. I hope you give this lovely, spring soup a try soon. Enjoy! 

Ingredients for about 6 cups of soup:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup sliced leeks

4 cups chicken broth

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

1 pound sugar snap peas

2 mint leaves

crème fraiche or sour cream, and more fresh mint to garnish

View the complete recipe

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As a very, very small percentage of you may know, tomorrow is National Garlic Day, and what better way to celebrate than with a big bowl of Spanish garlic soup? Sopa de Ajo is a wonderfully rustic bread soup, spiked with sliced garlic, paprika, and ham.

If that wasn’t enough to get your attention, it’s also topped with eggs poached in the fragrant, brick red broth. It’s like a steaming bowl of breakfast-for-dinner. 

Like I say in the clip, there are as many ways to make this as families in Spain, but I really think toasting the bread is key. You’re basically replacing the flavorless water in the bread with olive oil and awesome soup.

Plus, having the olive oil baked into the cubes makes for a better texture in my opinion. Whether you make this tomorrow to celebrate a totally made-up holiday, or wait until you have some stale bread sitting around, I really hope you try this incredibly comforting Spanish soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

About 6 cups of cubed French or Italian bread

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle on bread cubes

6-10 thinly sliced garlic cloves

2 oz ham diced

1-2 tsp paprika or to taste

6 cups chicken broth

4 large eggs

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

salt, pepper, cayenne to taste

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It’s not quite spring yet, but this young man’s fancy has already turned to love. No, not that kind; I’m talking about my love for this ultra-easy, and gorgeously colored, cream of asparagus soup recipe. For me, asparagus is one of those rare vegetables that shines brightest when enjoyed in soup form.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the fresh spears, and have posted many recipes featuring them, but for pure asparagus goodness, you just can’t beat a perfectly made bowl of soup. There are no tricks or secret techniques here; just make sure your onions are fully cooked before adding the asparagus, and other than not over-cooking it, there’s not a lot that can go wrong. 

Testing the vegetable’s doneness by pressing them against the side of the pot should eliminate any guesswork, but if unsure, err on the side of slightly under vs. slightly over cooked. The other decision you’ll have to make is whether to strain or not. I recommend it, but totally understand if you don’t. The soup is great as is, but straining out the woodier fibers does give it a finer, more velvety texture.

Of course, the float of Parmesan and lemon cream on top is optional also, but pretend it isn’t. It adds a great visual element, and adds a little extra richness to the soup’s lean, green goodness. I hope you fall in love with this soup soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 1 1/2 quarts of soup:

2 tbsp butter 
1 diced onion

2 pounds asparagus

salt to taste

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

cayenne to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of nutmeg (I forgot to mention in video, but just add with other spices!)

1/2 cup of heavy cream

For the cream topping:

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tsp lemon zest

*whisk for minute until frothy and slightly thickened

View the complete recipe

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You often hear people describe food as “sexy,” but I’ve always believed it’s really more the occasion and company that makes a meal sexy. Put your Valentine across a candlelit table, pour a couple glasses of wine, and no matter what you serve up, sexiness will ensue.

Having said that, it certainly doesn’t hurt to hedge your bets and serve up a naturally sensuous dish like this simple, but sophisticated fish stew. This is great for you less than confident cooks, since your timing doesn’t need to be that precise. Did I mention there’d be wine around?

You can actually do everything ahead, up until adding the fish if you want. Since the pieces will cook in between 5 and 10 minutes, when you’re ready to eat, simply bring the mixture to a boil, add the fish, and simmer until done. You can also hold the stew over very low heat for a good 15-20 minutes without major problems, in case, well, you know.

By the way, make sure you check and see if your dining partner likes fish and wine, as this would be a horrible choice if they don’t. If they do, you’re in business. Almost any type of fish or shellfish will work in this, as well as any small, cute potatoes. Just don’t forget to peel the middles, as it's kind of a big deal. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 tbsp butter

1 large leek, chopped

1/2 cup sliced shallots

1/2 tsp salt, more to taste

3/4 cup white wine

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sliced fennel root

1 pound small red potatoes

cayenne to taste

1/2 cup cream

1 pound boneless fish filets

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

View the complete recipe

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Spicy Coconut Shrimp Bisque

I'm not sure where you're reading this from, but for the sake of this post I'll assume it's freezing outside, and you're craving a huge bowl of steaming, hot soup. Sweaters are great, but when you need to get warm from the inside out, there is really only one way...well, two actually, but this isn't a cocktails blog, so we're just going with soup. Here are a few of my personal favorite cold weather soups. Click on caption to read the post and watch the video. Bundle up and enjoy!

Spicy Coconut Shrimp Bisque

Bumblebee Soup - Bacon, Black Bean and Corn Chowder

Minestrone Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

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I usually don’t have a good answer for why I’ve not gotten around to filming certain iconic dishes like risotto, beef Wellington, and puff pastry; but when it comes to lobster bisque, I do have a great excuse.

I won’t bore you with the details of how the tradition started (translation: I don’t remember), but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always made lobster bisque on Christmas Eve, to celebrate my sister-in-law Jennifer’s birthday.

And since the few days leading up to Christmas are always so busy and hectic with shopping, cooking, and travel, I’ve just never felt like I’ve had the time to set up the camera to properly film the procedure. Well, this year I decided to give it a go, and despite all the aforementioned challenges, I was very happy with how this came out.

One word of warning: this recipe requires live lobsters, brandy, and heavy cream. If you can’t get, or don’t want to use those ingredients, then you’ll have to make something else. Sorry, but this recipe is too sacred for substitutions.

Speaking of live lobsters, I know many are skeptical that these “bugs” can actually feel pain, but to play it safe, I recommend putting them in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes to knock them out cold before their ultimate demise.

I only showed the cracking and the picking of the lobster meat very briefly, as this video was already too long for my tastes, but below I’ll link an additional tutorial that show this in more detail. Yes, this soup takes a little bit of work and expense, but I think you’ll agree with me (and Jennifer) that all the effort is well worth it. Enjoy!

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts:
2 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
1 onion, chopped
2 rib celery, chopped
3 quarts cold water (this will reduce by about half during the entire cooking process)
3 cloves garlic
4 springs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp paprika
1/3 cup white long grain rice
2 tbsp cheap brandy (inexpensive brandy tends to be a little sweeter, and works well here)
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more if you like it creamier
salt and cayenne to taste
1 tbsp chopped tarragon to garnish

Bonus Lobster Meat Recovery Video: 
This video shows the picking of the lobster meat in much more detail than I did. Since they are boiling the lobster, you can just skip to the part where he is liberating all the meat. For more general lobster info, you can also check out this page on Allrecipes.

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I love a hearty beef chili as much as the next guy, but once in a while there’s nothing wrong with going over to the light side, and enjoying an equally comforting bowl of white bean and chicken chili. I’ve always used thighs for my chicken chili, which of course have more fat and flavor, but after a bunch of requests for a chicken breast version, I decided give it a go, and I was very happy with the results.

The key is to not overcook the chicken when you sear it. You want it slightly undercooked, maybe about 150 degrees F. internal temp, since it will cook all the way when we add it back in. You’ll notice when I slice mine, there’s a little bit of opaqueness to the flesh, which is what you want.

This is intended to be a relatively quick and simple weeknight meal, so I didn’t add much in the way of extras, but things like peppers, squash, and mushrooms are always welcomed additions. 

I know you’re probably missing those long, warm summer days right about now, but one of the great things about this season’s cold, wet weather is that it begs for recipes like this. I hope you pour yourself a beer, grab a chunk of bread, and dig into a bowl of this soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs

salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp flour

about 3 cups chicken broth or stock, divided

1 tsp fine cornmeal
2 cans (15oz) white beans

cayenne to taste

1/4 tsp sugar or to taste

1/3 cup chopped green onions

sour cream and cilantro to garnish

View the complete recipe

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We’re heading into the heart of hot soup season, and this cream of cauliflower will ward off autumn’s chill with the best of them. I’m a big fan of the cauliflower in all forms, but this simple soup may be my favorite application.

Of course, human nature being what it is, I wasn’t satisfied with just the soup, and wanted to garnish with something new and exciting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anything, so I decided to follow that age-old advice which says, “when in doubt, bacon.”

I’ve garnished soups like this with bacon before, but never tried toasting breadcrumbs in the rendered fat. Not surprisingly, it worked very well, and the additions of lemon zest and parsley elevated things even more. The only problem with a recipe like this is the next time I’m served a cream of cauliflower, no matter how good it is, I’m going to be a little sad there’s no bacon gremolata floating on top.

By the way, I realize there are no breadcrumbs in a true gremolata, but I thought it sounded kind of cool, and besides, I’ve never been that big on respecting the sanctity of culinary terms. I was going to go with “baconized breadcrumbs,” but that sounded a little too much like molecular gastronomy, which is much worse.

If you’re not into eating animals, some diced shiitake mushrooms and a pinch of smoked paprika would be a great substitute in the gremolata. You’d also need to add some olive oil to replace the rendered bacon fat, but you probably knew that.

Now that I think about it, that vegetarian version sounds pretty amazing as well. Maybe next time I’ll skip the bacon and…oh, who am I kidding? Anyway, I hope you give this delicious fall soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 8 servings:

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

salt to taste

1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered

2 heads cauliflower, trimmed

1 quart chicken broth

1 quart water

1/2 cup cream

cayenne to taste

For the gremolata:

4 strips bacon

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

View the complete recipe

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This delicious and vividly colored beef borscht is the first soup I can ever remember eating. Every summer, we’d drive to New York City to visit my father’s side of the family. His father was Ukrainian, and his mother was Polish, and like the pierogis they’d have ready for us, this beef and beet soup was always a very welcomed part of the trip.

It was also this soup that started my lifelong love of adding sour cream to things. The way the tangy, rich cream melted into the hot, beefy broth was a wonder to behold, and unlike any other soup I’d eat the rest of the year. Speaking of beefy broth, I only used one measly piece of shank, but you are welcome to add one or two more to make this even more awesome.

Of course, there are a thousand versions of borscht, and as usual I have no idea how authentic this is, which is fine since, well, it’s soup for God’s sake. Beside what vegetables to add or delete, there is also the question of temperature.

Word on the street is that the Ukrainian/Russian versions are served piping hot, and that the Polish versions are served chilled. However, there does seem to be a general agreement as far as beverage pairings go. I’ll let one of my YouTube followers, Afterapplepicking, explain:

“Hot, beefy, red, Russian borscht is only to be served with copious amounts of beer or vodka. Which is quite a distinction from the cold, vegetarian, pink Polish borscht, which is only to be served with copious amounts of beer or vodka.”

Well said! Anyway, I hope you give this blast from my soupy past a try soon, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients (amounts not critical!)

2-3 quarts of beef broth

(to make your own: simmer a well-browned beef shank or two in 3 quarts of water for 4 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone, and completely flavorless)

1 bay leaf

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

3 cups sliced beets

2 cups chopped cabbage

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup white vinegar, or to taste

sour cream and dill or chive to garnish
*This soup doesn't require a lot of thought. Simply simmer everything until tender!

View the complete recipe

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A very, very long time ago, I had a white gazpacho. It was ice cold, very tasty, and super refreshing. It was similar to a classic gazpacho, but with no tomato and peppers. It was so unusually delicious that it really made an impression.

It had a cucumber base, was garnished with almonds and grapes, and was so good, I told myself to get the recipe and put it into regular summer rotation. That was probably 20 years ago, and I haven’t had it since. Totally spaced. 

Anyway, last week I came across this on Grubstreet, and it all came back to me. I knew I must try this soup! I’ve adapted the Dovetail’s versionslightly, but it’s one of those very personal recipes that you’ll want to adjust to your tastes.

Tweaking the amounts of salt, vinegar, and sweetness from the grapes will easily alter the final product, so experimentation is a must! The same goes for the texture. Add a bit more or less water depending on your dream viscosity.

The ice cube trick is optional, but really does keep the soup nicely chilled. The temperature is so critical here – you can’t serve this too cold. By the way, the dill oil I drip on the top was nothing more than a few tablespoons of vegetable oil mashed with some fresh dill with a mortar and pestle.

So, the next time you’re looking for a cool first course for that next great garden party, I hope you give this a try. You’ll love it so much, I’m sure you’ll make it all the time! ;) Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 small servings:

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 cup whites part of leeks, washed, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 English cucumbers, peeled

8-10 green grapes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup crème fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt

1 generous cup fresh bread cubes

2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

cayenne to taste

1 1/2 cups cold water, more if needed

dill oil and/or fresh dill leaves

View the complete recipe

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French onion soup is a very easy recipe. So, it’s a little ironic that this American French onion soup is an attempt to make things even easier. Then again, taking ideas that don’t need improving, and changing them anyway, is a time-honored American tradition.

Instead of going “French” on the onions, and cutting thin slices, we’re doing more of an extra large dice. I like the flavor and texture this cut provides, and there’s no danger of being chin-slapped by a long, steaming strand of onion. 

To make the caramelizing step a bit easier, we’re going to use the oven. You can just toss the onions in, stir it once in a while, and wait for them to brown. You don’t have to stand there and watch as closely as you would on the stovetop, and since the oven is blasting the pan with heat from all sides, you get a nice even color. 

The last Americanization is a departure from the classic gruyere cheese. My love for gruyere is borderline inappropriate, but keeping with the theme, I decided to go with a 50/50 blend of extra-sharp New York cheddar and mild Monterey Jack. It was wonderful, and a nice change of pace. 

Regarding the ominous vinegar warning in the video – I think a little touch of sherry vinegar really balances the flavors perfectly, but like salt, everyone’s palate is different. So, if you haven’t used it before, it may be a better to just add the vinegar, to taste, to the finished soup. Drip a little in, taste, and adjust. 

Anyway, spring weather means plenty of cool, rainy days, and what better way to enjoy those than with a nice bowl of onion soup? Whether American, French, or some other yet-to-be-discovered cultural variation, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy! 

Ingredients for about 2 1/2 quarts of soup:
6 large yellow onions, cut in large dice

1/2 stick unsalted butter salt and pepper to taste

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 or 2 tsps sherry vinegar, or to taste

3 tbsps dry sherry wine (do NOT use “cooking wine”)

4 cups high-quality beef broth

4 cups high-quality chicken broth

buttered croutons

shredded extra-sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese (you’ll need about 1/3 cup per bowl)

View the complete recipe

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In case you haven’t been following along, let me catch you up. On Wednesday we made a gorgeous roasted chicken broth for the expressed purpose of making this soul-warming soup. Here, we used that wonderfully flavorful broth to complete the recipe, and let me tell you, it was incredible.

You know how much I hate to complicate a recipe, and I'll always err on the side of too few ingredients vs. too many, so when I make this chicken noodle soup it’s a constant battle to not add other “stuff.”

Not that’s there’s anything wrong with stuff, per se, but if properly made, this soup is just too amazing in its pure and natural state for any distracting, supercilious additions. By the way, a little advice to you young up-and-coming food bloggers; never use “per se,” and “supercilious” in the same sentence.

Yes, other than the mirepoix, and a tiny pinch of fresh thyme, the rest of this soup is basically chicken and noodles. Speaking of the noodles, I’m hoping you go with the wide ones I used. I was only half-kidding about this soup being a meditation, and egg noodle wrestling is half the fun.

Like I said in the video, this will work with regular chicken stock, but if you do decide to make this, I sincerely hope you go ahead and make the roasted chicken broth first. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp rendered chicken fat

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried thyme

2 quarts roasted chicken broth

1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed

4 oz dry wide egg noodles

cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste

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People throw around the word “ultimate” these days with total disregard for its actual meaning…and I’m no different. I was planning on posting my "ultimate" chicken noodle soup today, but then decided to show you a from-scratch roasted chicken broth first, which made the recipe too long for one single video.

So, we’ll finish this schmaltzy mini-series on Friday, and with all kidding aside, it really is the ultimate chicken noodle soup. And what makes it so much more ultimate than all the other ultimate chicken noodle soups is this deep, rich broth.

We’ve done classic chicken stock before, but this time we're roasting the chicken first, as well as using all of the dark meat to fortify the broth. By the way, it’s the meat addition that turns a “stock” into a “broth,” as stocks are made only using bones.

Regarding the ketchup addition, which will for some bizarre reason raise eyebrows (in particular, those bushy European ones). Sure, you can use a little real tomato, or tomato paste, but I really believe the ketchup is superior. I want those trace amounts of aromatic spice to be subtly present in the aroma as you sip on the broth.

Anyway, get your broth started, and you’ll be ready to complete this amazing soup on Friday. Stay tuned, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb whole chicken (no innards)

2 tsp kosher salt for seasoning chicken skin

1 onion, quartered

1 rib celery, cut in pieces

3 cloves garlic, bruised slightly with flat of knife

1 tbsp ketchup

2 quarts cold water

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It’s so trite to say that something is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. Everyone knows that, right? It’s just common sense. Except, there I was, eating a very good bowl of crab and corn chowder that could have, should have, been very great; but it wasn’t because I didn’t remembered that old cliché.

As I mention numerous times in the video, this would ideally be made in the middle of summer, with ears of fresh, sweet-as-sugar corn. If that’s not seasonally possible (i.e., you’re doing a Mardi Gras themed recipe in winter), you can make a perfectly fine version using a premium-quality, extra-sweet, frozen corn. Or, you can do what I did.

I used an old bag of budget-brand corn I found in the freezer. The odd thing is, I’m not sure where it came from, or what it was purchased for. There are things like vodka and fair-trade coffee beans that somehow appear in my icebox as if placed there by invisible kitchen gremlins (btw, that would make a pretty cool name for a band), and I can only assume that’s how the corn got in there.

So, while I could have just walked two-blocks, and bought an expensive bag of something sweet and delicious, I instead went ahead and used a product that only a prison warden could love. The good news is that even with the almost-flavorless corn, this chowder was very good, so if you do as I say, and not as I clichéd, yours will certainly rock.

If you’re from New Orleans, I’d love to hear if they make anything similar to this. As I admit in the video, this is not my take on some iconic Creole recipe, but a simple soup inspired by those ingredients and style of cooking. Anyway, I hope you give it a try soon, and laissez le bon (corn) temps rouler!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced bell pepper, or jalapeno, or combination of any sweet/hot peppers

1/2 cup diced celery

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay

1 1/2 tbsp flour

3 1/2 cup water or stock, divided (2 1/2 for the pot, and 1 cup for the blender)

1 pound sweet corn kernels, divided
2 cloves peeled garlic

8 oz fresh crab meat, divided

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika, or to taste

green onion to garnish

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