2018 definitely was a long time coming.  I was happy to say farewell to 2017 and ring in the new year!  I'm looking forward to a year filled with new recipes and more blog posts! 

So, let's kick things off on this cold January day with some spicy, warm soup! 

Here's what you will need...

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 8 cups homemade chicken or turkey stock (I had turkey stock left over from the holidays)
• 1 cup orzo
• 2 leaks, white parts only, sliced thin
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 Serrano pepper, seeds removed, minced
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 cup white wine (your choice, but I used Pinot Grigio)
• Canola oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Start by mixing the coriander, cumin, and paprika together.  Season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt, pepper and the spice mixture.  Heat a large dutch oven with about 2 tablespoons of Canola oil.  When the oil starts to shimmer, brown the chicken on both sides and remove it from the pot.

Add a little more Canola oil to your pot and once it starts to shimmer, add the leeks, celery, carrots, and Serrano pepper.  Saute the vegetables with any of the remaining spice rub, the zest of one lemon, and a dash of salt and pepper.  Once the vegetables start to get a good color, add the white wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Once the wine has been totally absorbed, add the chicken back to the pot along with the stock.  Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the soup to a simmer, cover it, and let it cook for 25 minutes.

At the 25 minute(ish) mark, remove and shred or chop the chicken.  Bring the soup to a boil and add the orzo, shredded chicken, and the juice of one lemon (taste the soup and add more lemon to taste).  Reduce the heat to medium and cook the soup until the orzo is cooked al dente.  If you are making this in advance, you could also cook the orzo separately in a pot of salted, boiling water, for about 8 minutes.  Drain the orzo, then add to the soup and cook on low for about 5 minutes.  Make sure you let the soup completely cool before you package and refrigerate it, if you are making it in advance.   

I have made beef barley soup before, but I wanted to try a new recipe.  Melissa Clark's recipe intrigued me because of the lemon and the fennel.  When I read the recipe it just seemed super fresh and bright, which is not typical of most beef-based soups.

The link above will take you to her recipe, but I wanted to share a few tweaks I made below.  

• Instead of the cayenne, I used a minced Serrano (seeds removed), mostly because I had Serrano peppers in the fridge.
• I skipped the parsnips and turnips, only because I'm not a huge vegetable fan.  I'm sure the addition would be great though!
• I added Escarole instead of the kale or baby spinach.  
• I added a small amount of red wine (maybe 1/4 cup) because I had a small bit leftover from last night.  I added this when I added the broth and water.

The best part of this recipe is when you add the tomato paste and spices to the dutch oven. The entire house filled with an amazing, smoky aroma that made my mouth water.  That step alone made the prep work worth it!

After about four hours of cooking (and tasting) today, I finally sat down and had a glass  of Kobler Estate's 2016 Rose of Grenache with a splash of Pelligrino and a handful of fresh raspberries and blueberries and a couple slices of blood oranges.  

Best cooking day every! Happy 2018!