…and Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays… It’s almost spring, but winter is desperately hanging on like a clingy ex-girlfriend. But I can smell the faintest perfume of the new season, and the tree just outside is delicately starting to blush.

But Friday was all pouty clouds and drippy eaves; damp, sulky, and chilly enough for a warm sweater and this creamy chicken chowder.

I developed this recipe a few months ago for Cook’s Country, as a recipe card meant to be completed in 30 minutes or less with 10 ingredients or less. This edition takes its time a little more—chicken thighs are browned so the skin can be reserved and crisped to make my favorite new garnish of chicken cracklings or chicharrones, but it’s well worth the extra effort. The recipe is overall very simple and makes a great weeknight dinner with family or guests. A crisp green salad with buttery croutons and a glass of wine—whisk the clouds away.

RUSTIC CHICKEN CHOWDER
Serves 6

8 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 bone-in skin on chicken thighs, bones removed
Salt and pepper
8 scallions, white parts finely chopped and green tops thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas

- Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with slotted spoon. Transfer all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat from pot to a bowl.

- Increase heat to medium-high. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook thighs, skin-side down, until skin is crisp and golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until mostly cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Remove and reserve skin, then, coarsely chop the meat.

- Drain and discard all fat. Add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat back to pot. Add scallion whites, carrots, celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

- Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in broth, making sure there are no lumps. Stir in potatoes and chicken meat.

- Bring chowder to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

- Meanwhile, finely chop reserved chicken skin and microwave until curled up and crispy, about 2 minutes.

- Stir in cream and peas and simmer until peas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with reserved bacon, chicken chicharrones, and sliced scallion greens.

- Serve with green salad dressed with vinaigrette and croutons

Variation: replace peas with corn, sauté 2 seeded and chopped fresh jalapeño chiles along with the scallion whites, and garnish with 1 cup chopped  cilantro.

I’ve never understood American chicken soup. It’s all broth and no meat, especially if it comes out of everyone’s favorite red-and-white can. And, what’s with the noodles? Limp, slippery, wormy. No, thank you.

The chicken soup I’m used to contains a whole chicken, which has to elbow its way  into a pot crowded with  potatoes, carrots, zucchini, wheels of corn-on-the-cob, and fragrant herbs. Just because you’re bedridden doesn’t mean that your soup needs to be weak and wobbly, too.

Craving the comfort of chicken soup but wanting some extra heat to ward off the relentless cold,  I took a cue from Mexican tortilla soups and added chiles to the base of the soup. I’ve also added hominy: processed, the hominy laces the soup with corn tortilla flavor and thickens it a bit, and toasted, it acts a garnish. The pièce de résistance are the chicken chicharrones. Rather than discard the chicken skin, I chop it and bake it along with the tortilla strips until they are bronzed and crisp. Ah-ah-ah—don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

SOPA DE POLLO PICANTITA

Serves 4 to 6

Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been treated with alkali to remove the hulls. It is sold canned in the Latin American or international aisle of most supermarkets. You can find dried chiles in that same aisle, although some  supermarkets carry them in the produce section.

In Step 4, I call for a blender because in a food processor, the liquid will leak out.

4 dried pasilla or guajillo chiles, wiped clean, stemmed and seeded
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans hominy, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons minced chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 quart homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
6 small corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
¼ teaspoon cumin
Garnishes (optional): cilantro, sour cream or crema, lime wedges, and/or sliced radishes

- Toast the chiles in a dry Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, turning them over a few times with tongs, until they begin to soften and blister, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a plate.

- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the now empty pot and heat it until it begins to smoke. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season them with salt, pepper, and the Worcestershire sauce. Cook the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, skin-side up.

- Add half of the hominy to the empty pot and cook until deep golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and season with salt. Tear the chiles into pieces and add them to the now empty pot along with the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

- Place the tomatoes and half of the hominy in a blender and blend until smooth. To make room for the onions, transfer all but 2 cups of the tomato-hominy mixture to the empty tomato can. Add the cooked onion-chile mixture to the blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended tomato mixtures to the empty Dutch oven and simmer it over medium-low heat until it’s reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes.

- Stir the stock into the pot. Remove and reserve the chicken skin and place the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices into the pot. Bring to a boil, then, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow to cool.

- Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 450°F. Toss the tortilla strips with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Coarsely chop the reserved chicken skin and toss with the tortilla strips. Bake, tossing with tongs halfway through cooking, until the tortilla strips are browned and crunchy and the chicken skin is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer tortillas and chicken chicharrones to a paper towel lined plate; season to taste with salt and cumin.

- Remove the meat from the bones and return the chicken to the pot; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Top with tortilla strips, chicharrones, toasted hominy, and any of the suggested garnishes.

With the chill of autumn comes the inevitable drip, drip, drip of the rain. And the nose. Vegetable soups are perfect to fend off the outdoor and head cold; hardy, healthy, and, if you add a few warm spices like ginger and pepper, hot enough to clear up those sinuses.

CARROT SOUP  with GINGER ALMONDS  & HONEY-PEPPPER YOGURT
Makes 5 to 6 cups
The honey in this recipe enhances the carrots’ sweetness, while the vinegar adds acidity for balance. This soup pairs nicely with peppery arugula. Ginger has a slow burn, so pass on it if you’re planning on serving this to kids. For a vegetarian option substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.

For the Ginger Almonds:
2 teaspoons butter
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger

- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and salt and cook, shaking pan continuously, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook until nuts are coated and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to plate and reserve.

For the Honey-Pepper Yogurt:
1 (6-ounce) container Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon pepper

- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving time.

For the Soup:
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup cream (optional)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

- Melt the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium heat, covered and stirring occasionally, until the carrots begin to soften, about 15 minutes.

- Add 4 cups of the broth and simmer over medium-low heat until the carrots are completely tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the honey, vinegar, and cream (if using).

- With a ladle, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree in batches until smooth. Transfer pureed soup to a soup tureen or second pot. If you prefer a thinner soup, stir in some of the remaining broth until you achieve desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with yogurt and almonds.

New Year’s resolutions: so easily – nay! so willingly – forgotten. “What’s one more day of not going to the gym?!” we exclaim. “Will one more tiny square of chocolate really add that much to those little fat bundles on my thighs?” we coax ourselves. These feeble excuses are exactly why this year I’ve decided to keep the resolution bar low. In 2009, I solemnly swear to:

1. Dutifully and meticulously apply hand lotion, and,
2. Eat my vegetables.

Although the first point seems by-the-by – as this is a cooking, rather than a beauty, blog – I must say that were my life less intertwined with food my hands would be smooth alabaster instead of the cracked, blotchy red horrors they are. Anyhow, the second point is very relevant.

See, despite my love of vegetables – really, I do love them! Even at the tender age of 6 I appreciated Brussels sprouts – I am very ignorant about them. I’m much more comfortable with things starchy and buttery. But, this year, I promise to learn more about vegetables – and eat them.

I spent the holidays in Southern California where my mother lives – Glorious! Blissful! – and returned to Boston on New Year’s Day, my holiday book-ended by frightful cold and snowy drifts. “Sand yesterday, today snow,” I mumbled sulkily as I burrowed my head deeper into my coat’s hood.

Days later, I am still hiding in my long, shapeless, puffy coat, clodding around in most unfashionable boots better suited to Frankenstein than to a worshiper of high heels. But, despite how bothersome winter is, there are some simple pleasures the season affords, such as soup.

The promise of a steamy bowl of soup can only be fully appreciated when the sky is slate gray and the wind lashes violently at the bare-limbed trees. And so, with these conditions readily available, I looked forward to making dinner. Plus, with my vegetable resolution in place, I felt I had a world of opportunities before me: Carrot! Broccoli! Zucchini! The produce aisle beckoned! “Maybe my 2009 goal is within reach!” I thought to myself – as I massaged gooey Neutrogena lotion into my broken knuckles.

Inspired by some kale chips in this month’s issue of Bon Appétit, I decided on cannellini and kale soup with Spanish chorizo. Soups, in case you were wondering, are very easy to make. The holy trinity of vegetables – onions, carrots, celery – should live in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer since they are the foundation of many a hot bowl. Chicken broth is also a must – either homemade or the boxed stuff will do – and your vegetable of choice. A pork product is great, too, as foundation or garnish (bacon, pancetta, sausage, etc.).

Kale, dark green and luxuriously bumpy, like croc skin.

WHITE BEAN & CHORIZO SOUP with KALE

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 celery rib, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium-sized carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon freshly minced thyme leaves)
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, one can pureed, the rest drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale (about 2 pounds), stems removed
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Optional: Parmesan cheese for topping

-Preheat oven to 250˚F. Select 6 kale leaves from the bunch and cut in half lengthwise. Rub each leaf with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Reserve.

-Coarsely chop remainder of kale and set aside.

-On medium heat, heat oil in a 4-quart-capacity pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, 3 teaspoons salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and celery and carrot are softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

-Add the three cans of drained and rinsed beans, increase heat to medium-high, and sauté, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add pureed beans and 3 cups broth and bring to a boil.

-Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chorizo on medium-high heat until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate. Add chopped kale and 1 teaspoon salt to now empty skillet and sauté until kale is slightly wilted and deep green, 3 to 5 minutes. Add kale to soup and simmer about 15 minutes.

-Season soup with salt and pepper and add lemon juice. Serve, topping soup with chorizo chips, toasted kale, and fresh Parmesan crumbles.

Leftovers:
Reheat soup – adding more chicken broth if needed – and serve topped with a poached egg and chorizo.

A couple of years ago I experienced some dizzy spells. It felt like I was looking down over the edge of a tall building even though my butt firmly seated on a chair and the soles of my feet stuck to the floor. It was vertigo. Yes, like the Hitchcock movie, minus Jimmy Stewart. Anyway, I zigzagged to the doctor and got a prescription that knocked me out cold, and then a few days later I was fine.

My good friend C. loved to tease me about this wacky malady, but I didn’t mind because it was all in the past. Or so I thought. For three weeks now I have been walking on unsteady ground. It’s like I’ve just gotten off a roller coaster. Or woken up after downing a bottle of champagne, my cerebellum floating in day-old fizz. Only this is far worse because I didn’t get the cheap adrenaline rush from the ride or had a good time boozing last night.

I finally went to see a doctor yesterday, but was more upset going out than coming in. I think one spends more time with the cashier at a fast-food drive-thru than with one’s PCP. Still dizzy, and now in a tizzy, I returned home and decided making dinner would make me feel better. Besides, I needed to see if I could cook in the Elf Kitchen.

To keep the dizzy theme going I set about making beer stew. It was rather delicious; I think Rizzo was on to something when she said that a little sneaky peek gets the party going:

BEER STEW FOR TWO
*At The Mister’s insistence, I must tell you that this will yield plenty of leftovers. I’d say it was enough for four, but I like to be selfish and reheat the remaining portions because it tastes so much better the next day.

2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-in (bite-size) pieces
3 TBSP. all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
Butter
Salt & pepper
Granulated sugar
1/3 C. pancetta, cut into 1/3”-thick pieces
Half a medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 whole canned tomatoes, crushed
Fresh thyme
Bay leaf
2 bottles of ale (I used 11.2 oz. bottles of Leffe)

Vegetables*
*Note: I like to eyeball the amount of vegetables going into the stew, because I, for instance, love pearl onions and add quite a few, but if you prefer, say, carrots, you may want to add more.
Pearl onions (preferably fresh, but frozen will do)
Baby carrots
New potatoes

Peas (frozen)

1. Generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper.
Add about 2 tsps. vegetable oil to a very hot, smoking stew pot and add half the beef. You want the beef to get nice and brown on the outside. Don’t overcrowd the pan because the meat will steam rather than sear. Transfer the beef to a plate and sear the remaining amount. Set aside.

2. Lower the heat to med-lo and, if the pan is dry, add a bit more oil. Add the pancetta and allow it to render some of its fat. Next, add the minced onion and cook, stirring 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remember, the pan shouldn’t be too hot because the finely minced garlic will burn and impart a bitter taste.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook just until some of the liquid has evaporated, about one minute. Increase the heat to high and pour in the beer. Bring to a boil and return the seared meat to the pot. Reduce to a simmer, add the thyme and bay leaf, cover and allow to cook 1 ½ – 2 hours. Do not boil or risk toughening the meat.

4. In the meantime, prepare your vegetables. Sauté the pearl onions in a bit of butter and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 – 2 tsps. of granulated sugar to aid in caramelization. Once the onions are nicely golden, set aside.
Repeat steps with baby carrots and set aside.

5. Cut potatoes into large dice and reserve in cold water. Add the onions, carrots, and potatoes to the stew when it’s about 20 minutes away from being done. Add the peas at the very end right, as they will cook very quickly. Adjust seasoning and remember to take out your bay leaf before serving!