"People's Choice" Recipes

Diablo Chicken and Rice Soup

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

¼ cup Cajun seasoning blend

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ounces (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) butter

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken stock

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup basmati rice, cooked according to package directions

½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup chopped grilled chicken breast

¼ cup cornstarch

Salt, to taste

Saute onion, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning and cayenne in butter for 15 minutes over medium heat to soften vegetables well. Stir often to prevent sticking. Add with white wine and cook, stirring, until it has reduced by three-quarters. Add chicken stock and heavy cream.

Add basmati rice, chopped cilantro and chicken to the pot.

Mix cornstarch with enough water to form a slurry. (As an alternative, do like the chef and make a roux of equal parts flour and butter in a separate pot.) Fold in the slurry or roux and continue to cook and stir until thickened to your liking.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and more cayenne or Cajun seasoning, to taste.

Makes about two quarts or 8 servings.

— Recipe adapted from and courtesy of Jon Dye, executive chef at Absolutely Fresh Seafood, Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar and Bailey's, who won first place in the “People's Choice” awards at the 2010 Art & Soup competition.

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Arizona Chicken Soup

2 cups finely chopped onion

20 cups chicken broth

2 cups diced celery

½ teaspoon mashed fresh garlic

½ cup minced cilantro

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup chopped jalapeños

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup minced green scallions

½ cup minced pimentos

6 cups frozen corn, shredded

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

10 6-inch corn tortillas, minced

5 cups cooked black beans

5 cups cooked chili beans

5 cups finely diced grilled chicken breast

4 cups finely diced fresh tomatoes

16 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

Salt, to taste

Sour cream, as needed, to garnish

Saute the onions. Add broth and celery and simmer over high heat for 20 minutes.

Add all other ingredients except for the chicken, tomatoes, cheese, salt and sour cream. Simmer for one hour.

Add chicken, tomatoes and cheese. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add water and salt to taste. Let rest one hour. Serve hot, with dollops or drizzles of sour cream.

Makes 10 to 15 servings.

— Recipe adapted from and courtesy of Cesar Martinez, chef at WheatFields Eatery & Bakery, who won second place in the “People's Choice” awards at the 2010 Art & Soup competition.

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Thanksgiving in a Bowl

FOR THE SOUP

1½ to 2 pounds butternut squash

1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 cup finely diced onions

½ cup finely diced celery

½ cup finely diced carrots

1 pound parsnips (medium, diced)

4 cups chicken broth

1 to 2 cups cream

¼ cup honey

Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE CROQUETTES

1 cup cream

¼ cup flour whisked into ¼ cup melted butter

2 cups finely chopped turkey

1 cup chopped fully cooked bacon

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup flour (for breading)

1 large egg, beaten (for breading)

¾ cup Panko bread crumbs (for breading)

Vegetable oil (for frying)

FOR THE CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Zest of one lemon

2 teaspoons fresh orange juice

1½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream

¼ to ½ of a 12-ounce can of cranberry sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley or sage, to garnish

Make the soup: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean the squash by cutting in half lengthwise and removing the seeds and membrane. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with oiled foil. Bake 45 minutes or until soft. Scoop out the squash and discard the skins.

Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat and add the onions, celery and carrots. Saute until completely tender and the onions are transparent. Add parsnips with half the chicken broth and half the cream. Simmer 30 minutes. Once the parsnips are completely tender, add the squash to the pot with the remainder of the chicken broth. Heat for approximately 10 minutes. Purée using a countertop or an immersion blender. When fully puréed and smooth, add enough of the remaining cream to achieve the consistency you desire. Season with honey and salt and pepper to taste.

Make the croquettes: Heat cream to a boil and thicken it with the flour-butter mixture (roux). Set aside to cool. Combine turkey, bacon and sage in a mixer, adding the thickened cream slowly and mixing until the ingredients stick together or will form a ball when rolled. Season to taste. Roll the mixture into small balls and bread them with the flour, egg and Panko bread crumbs. Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown before serving.

Make the crème fraîche: Place the zest, orange juice and crème fraîche in a bowl and slowly add the cranberry sauce until you are satisfied with the strength of the flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble: In each bowl, pour some of the hot soup, top with two or three croquettes and a dollop or drizzle of crème fraîche and garnish with chopped parsley or a fresh sage leaf.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

— Recipe adapted from and courtesy of David Rooney, sous chef at Catering Creations, who won third place in the “People's Choice” awards at the 2010 Art & Soup competition.

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