White Bean & Chicken Soup (White Chili)

3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch dice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons chile powder blend

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Three 15-ounce cans navy beans, drained

Tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro and diced avocado, for serving


Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add half of the chicken at a time and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned all over, about 8 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate.


Add the onions to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until tender, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant. Add the flour, chile powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the stock, navy beans and chicken and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is very tender, 30 minutes.


Uncover and simmer the soup over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the tortilla chips, sour cream, Jack cheese, cilantro and avocado.

Original Recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/white-bean-and-chicken-soup

Bubba Gump's Shrimpin' Dippin' Broth

• This is not the original recipe.   I, of course, have slightly modified it.   I have made this several times and it is always a big hit.   It's quite spicy, so if you want, you may want to reduce or eliminate the cajun seasoning used on the shrimp.   The broth will be spicy enough.
  
  
  Always serve this in a bowl over a 1/2 cup of white rice and with a 2-3 inch piece of a fresh baguette!   The fresh bread makes this soup, so don't skip it!
  
  
  INGREDIENTS FOR THE BROTH:
  
  
  1/2 tablespoon butter
  1 teaspoon minced garlic
  1/2 teaspoon Tony Cachere's Cajun Seasoning
  1/2 teaspoon pepper
  1 can of Cento White Clam Sauce
  2 cups of water
  1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  1 chicken bouillon cube
  1/4 teaspoon sugar
  
  
  Sauté pepper, Cajun seasoning, and garlic in butter for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.   Allow broth to simmer approx 15 minutes.  Cook shrimp while broth simmers.
  
  
  INGREDIENTS FOR SHRIMP:
  
  
  1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (frozen is okay, should be thawed)
  2 tablespoons butter
  1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  1 teaspoon Tony Cachere's Cajun Seasoning
  1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
  lemon wedge (optional)
  1 cup cooked white rice
  1 fresh baguette
  
  
  Melt butter in pan.   Add shrimp, Worcestershire, black pepper, cajun seasoning and garlic.   Cook until half done.   (Shrimp will finish cooking in broth.)
  
  
  Reduce broth to low and add shrimp.  Turn off heat.   Allow shrimp to finish cooking in hot broth (approx 3-4 mins).   Serve immediately.   Add 1/2 cup of rice to bowl.  Ladle shrimp broth over rice.  Serve with fresh baguette. 
  
  
  
  

Original Bubba Gump Shrimpin Dippin Broth Recipe

Corn Chowder

CAUTION!  This stuff is addictive especially during the cold winter months. 

Emeril's Pennsylvania Dutch Corn Chowder


Serves: 6

Ingredients:
4 cups frozen shoepeg white corn kernels 
1/2 pound salt pork, diced
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
3 cups peeled, diced baking potatoes, like russets
8 cups chicken stock, or more as necessary
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green tops only)
2 Baguettes / French Bread

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook the diced pork over medium-high heat until golden brown and the fat is rendered. Add the onions, celery salt, and cayenne, and cook until onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and drained corn, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the milk and cream, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, with salt and freshly ground
black pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each serving with the green onions.  Serve with warmed baguettes.