Recipe: Irish-Italian Parade Soup

With the abundance of vegetables caught in the Metairie Irish-Italian Parade, I am discovering that there are unlimited ways to prepare them.

Across the street from us last week at the parade, there was a man holding up a warped and dented soup pot. People from all the floats were throwing to him because they were trying to throw their veggies into his pot. The ground around him and the lady with him was green with cabbage.

After the parade they called us over and gave us two sacks full of cabbage and potatoes, although we already had more than we thought we could use.

This Easter afternoon is soup time. It seems that every Easter we have a cool snap here in north Louisiana. In a few days the weather will be too warm to enjoy soup, but this evening it will hit the spot.

Here’s the recipe:

Irish-Italian Parade Soup

Chicken:
1 fryer or approximately 3 pounds chicken
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Liberal shakes of ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, thyme leaves, oregano, and ground sage

Place the chicken in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the lemon juice and vinegar. Fill the pot ¾ full with water and add the other ingredients. Make a pass through the kitchen and add any other spices you like.

Stew the chicken until it is tender.


The Soup:
(Notes: Cut the vegetables in big chunks. Don’t waste time peeling them. Save the extra broth and chicken to use in other dishes.)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
8 cups hot chicken stock
More spices of your choice, such as seasoned salt, black pepper, red pepper, Cajun spice mix, and basil
1 tablespoon Splenda®
2 cups sliced carrots
4 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups diced chicken
1 can Rotel® tomatoes and green chilies
Cubes of cheddar or Velveeta®

In a large soup pot, make a white roux by melting the butter and stirring the flour into it. Do not brown it. Add the chicken stock and seasonings as desired. Add the fresh vegetables and cook them until they are tender. Add the chicken and Rotel®. Cook a few more minutes.

Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Add cubes of cheese to the bowls as the soup is served.

6–8 generous servings