Lots of recipes recommend using a faux chicken of sorts; I am a firm believer that the less manufacturing food goes through, the better. Because of this I buy lots and lots of raw ingredients that I then “process” myself by turning into soup or veggie burgers etc. In this situation, I beefed up (excuse the pun) my veggies to create a filling dinner.
Ingredients:
Peas
Corn
Carrots (3 large)
Celery (2 stalks)
One onion
Baking mix w/ ingredients needed for biscuits
Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Six cups vegetable stock
¼ cup flour
¼ Olive oil
Method:
Prepare your biscuit dough! I make two cups worth with this recipe.
If using almond milk (or any fatty milk); pour in a tablespoon of vinegar and allow to sit for a few minutes, it’ll curdle and make butter milk. Gives the biscuits a little more…woomph.
Heat olive oil in skillet, add onion, celery, and bay leaf, cook until translucent
Add carrots and continue to cook until fork tender
This is your mirepoix; the base of many soups made up of portions of carrot, onion, and celery. The termed was coined in the eighteenth century but it was probably used well before. This combination for soups is actually seen in many cultures called different things. In Spain it’s called sofrito, Portuguese speaking countries call it refogado. Italy has a sofrito as well which is a mirepoix base with spices and finely chopped meats. Other variations include garlic or peppers; they all have the same goal in mind, creating a flavorful base with nice bits of brown stuff on the bottom of the pan to add complexity and depth to your soup, yum!
Stir in flour until everything is coated and combined
The flour and oil (or another fat of choice) make up your roux: this thickens the sauce and has been in use in French cuisine for over three hundred years. This method crosses cultures but without variation, fat and flour simply add up to deliciously creamy soups!
Pour the stock in slowly, stirring until fully combined
Bring to a boil, pour in peas, and allow it to come back to a rolling boil
Drop your dough one by one
Spread your drops out in a rotation, it gives the dough enough time to cook so when your fresh dough drops come back around they won’t stick together.
Keep an eye on your temperature, you want a light boil and the lid off slightly. I have a tendency to over boil this once in a while and I get a huge overflow and mess to clean up.
Cook for twelve or thirteen minutes, I constantly take taste tests to see how done they are but I’m always full by dinner.
Serve it up; this recipe is adapted from my mother’s originally and various sources throughout the internet. A basic crowd pleaser and a comfort meal for any time of the year (although my mother refuses to cook it between March and September because it’s a “winter dish”).
atticraft 