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| Soupe de Poulet Gratinée aux Baies Roses Gratinéed Chicken Soup with Pink Peppercorns |
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| When winter comes around and multiple layers of woollen cardigans become permanently affixed to my body, my anti-chill strategy is to cook up gallon upon gallon of hearty homey soups. This serves the double purpose of warming up the kitchen as the soup slowly simmers, and then myself, as I gulp down the fragrant, comforting mixture, cupping my hands around the steaming bowl. On those days, I am particularly drawn to soups that are a self-contained meal, and this one is exactly that – a richly flavourful soup of chicken and onions, spiked with pink peppercorns. Topped with bread and grated cheese, each bowl is gratinéed under the grill, in French onion soup fashion. The underbelly of the bread absorbs the silky broth, but the crust remains crisp, and the softened surface, covered with bubbly golden cheese, welcomes the spoon that will tear it apart. It is a rustic and restorative affair that I like to serve in the set of shallow earthenware bowls that Maxence's grandparents gave us when they had to sell their beloved country house. Not only have these bowls witnessed many a grandchild's slurp, but they also have little ears that make them easy to handle when I take them out of the oven in my mismatched oven mitts. This soup can be cooked and eaten straight away, but if you make it ahead, the flavours will deepen overnight. |
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For the soup: 900g free-range chicken thighs, with skin and bones Fine sea salt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, peeled, green sprout removed if any, finely minced 900g yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional, to thicken the broth) 2 bay leaves 120ml dry white wine 1.5l vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade 2 tablespoons dried pink peppercorns (substitute 1 tablespoon mixed dried peppercorns, from a mix that includes white and pink peppercorns) For the gratinéed topping: 170 to 220g freshly grated Comté or Gruyère |
Serves 4 to 6 as a main course Special equipment: a large soup pot; 4 to 6 ovenproof bowls or soup plates 1. Set a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and season with salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden, stirring them around a little so the meat won’t stick to the bottom. (Be careful not to burn yourself with the sizzling chicken fat.) 2. Remove the chicken from the pot, and set aside on a plate. Pour out and discard the excess fat from the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the pot, add the garlic and onions, season with salt, and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring from time to time to avoid colouring, until the onions are very soft and translucent. 3. While the onions are cooking, remove the skin from the chicken thighs – don’t worry if you can't quite remove all of it. When the onions are soft, add the flour if using, and stir to blend in. Add the chicken, bay leaves, wine, and stock. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, or by crushing them on a cutting-board with a rolling pin. Reserve one teaspoon for garnish, and add the rest to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through – if you have time you can let it simmer, uncovered, for 20 more minutes. (The recipe can be made a day ahead up to this point. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate. The next day, skim the chicken fat that will have risen to the surface.) 4. Preheat the oven or toaster oven on grill setting. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, and debone them with a fork and knife. Discard the bones and any remaining strip of skin, and cut the meat into bite-size chunks. Return the meat to the pot, stir, taste the broth, and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls or soup plates, top each with a slice of bread, and sprinkle with grated cheese. |
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