News- Soups On
This excerpt was originally published in Campus Dining Today (Winter 02/03 edition)
Soup's On- by Nancy Backas
College and university operators bring a little bit of home to campus with hearty soups.
As temperatures dip and the sweaters, turtlenecks, and mufflers come out of hibernation,culinary appetites turn to foods that can warm and satisfy. There's no better example of that than a well-made soup. Serving soup can be as easy as opening a can, of course, but students today have educated palates and higher expectations. Even if they grew up on garden-variety tomato or chicken noodle soup, to really please and pull them in, it takes fresh flavors, interesting ingredients, and great garnishes and accompaniments to keep them interested....
....At the University of Montana, soup will take on a historical bent when the bowl of the wife of Kit Carson soup is featured at the university's 2003 Culinary Skills Workshop and Wild Game Show, scheduled for January. "The name of the dish originates from the famous guide once employed as a hunter at the original Bent's Fort of Colorado, "says Elliot Westwater, Montana dining services' marketing manager. "The bowl of his wife is a Mexican inspired soup of rice, chicken, chilies, garbanzo beans, cheese, and avocado. This recipe came from Kit's grand daughter and was later embellished with a garnish of avocado slices..."
About this Soup:
The name of this dish originates from the famous guide once employed as a hunter at the original Bent's Fort of Colorado. The Bowl of his Wife is a Mexican inspired soup of rice, chicken, chilies, garbanzo beans, cheese, and avocado. This recipe came from Kit's Granddaughter and was later embellished with a garnish of avocado slices.
Yield: 8 Gal.
10 Lbs. - Dried chickpeas
10 Gal. - Water
40 Ea. - Turkey legs, 2 lbs. each
40 Ea. - Onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
20 Ea. - Bay leaves, crumbled
1 1/4 Cups - Salt
1/2 Cup - Whole black peppercorns
3 3/4 Cup - Uncooked long-grain white rice
1/2 Cup, 2 Tbsp. - Dried oregano
3 3/4 Cup - Green chilies, finely chopped and seeded
10 Lbs - Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4 cubes
2 1/2 Cup - Fresh chopped parsley
2 Large - Fresh ripe avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and cut lengthwise into slices
Method
1. Starting a day ahead, wash the chick-peas in a sieve under cold running water, place them in a large bowl or pan, and pour in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
2. Drain the peas in a sieve or colander and discard the soaking water. Then place peas in a steam pot and add the 10 gal. of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 1 hour, or until the chick peas are tender. Remove peas from liquid.
3. Add the turkey legs to the chick pea cooking liquid. The liquid should cover the turkey completely; if necessary, add water. Bring to a simmer; meanwhile skim off the foam and scum that rises to the surface. Add the onions, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes, or until the turkey legs show no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small sharp knife.
4. Transfer the turkey legs to sheet pans. Then drain the stock through a fine sieve and return it to the pot. Remove the skin from the turkey legs with a small knife or your fingers. Cut or pull the meat away from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes and set them aside.
5. Over high heat, bring the stock in the pot to a boil. Add the rice and oregano, stir well and reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the chick peas, cubed turkey and chilies, and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes longer to heat all the ingredients thoroughly.
6. Taste for seasoning and ladle the soup into a heated tureen or serving bowl. Scatter the diced cheese and the parsley over the soup, arrange the avocado slices on top, and serve at once.
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