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Serves 4 or 5 According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, "there are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat." Luckily, this soup is perfect anytime. Use Bartlett pears in the early fall, ripe Comice in the winter, fragrant Bosc and Anjou when available. Make sure the Brie is also ripe, preferably a double-creme from France.
Peel the pears. Cut them in thick slices, removing the seeds. Put the chicken broth and pears in a large pot and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the pears are very soft. Transfer the pears and broth to a food processor and process until very smooth. Return to the pot and simmer. Trim the rind from the brie and cut the cheese into small pieces. Slowly add the cheese and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. The soup should be creamy and smooth. ADD-ONS: Garnish with whole pink peppercorns or lightly toasted sliced almonds.  WINE
SUGGESTION: Nice with a glass of bold, floral chardonnay like Au Bon Climat from Santa Barbara. CHICKEN BROTH 1-2-3 The stock is easy, but give it time to simmer gently. "The pot should only smile with heat" ( French proverb). Once the soup is strained, you can reduce it further until it becomes thick and syrupy, for what professionals call glace de volaille.
Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Peel all the carrots and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Wash the carrot tops and chop enough for 1/2 cup. Peel the onions and cut into thin wedges. Put all ingredients in a large heavy pot with 5 to 6 quarts cold water to cover and 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns. Bring just to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 2 1/2 hours, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and pour the broth through into a large bowl. At this point you can put the strained broth in a large clean pot and reduce to desired consistency. Let the broth cool and refrigerate it until ready to use, removing any fat. If serving as a soup, return the strained broth to the pot, add the cooked onions and carrots, heat, and serve. The broth or soup can be kept for up to two days. Before using broth, skim the fat, then bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes to eliminate any bacteria. Makes about 4 quarts. If reducing to use as a stock, reduce to 3 quarts. Makes 4 quarts broth or 3 quarts stock ADD-ONS: You can add celery or parsnips if you please. As a treat, I put the chicken fat skimmed from the stock in a small ramekin, chill it, and serve it instead of butter with bakery rye bread. |
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Published: 1999 |
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