Sheffield— A rumination, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, is the action or process of thinking deeply about something. Cooking is indeed something I think deeply about, mainly because I am a human, an artist, a bon vivant, and an optimist. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that eating should be a joyful experience, therefore you have to cook. As with most creative endeavors, you have to let go of the fear of the results, be curious, joyful, and then create something good to eat. The recipe below is for Mulligatawny Soup, a soup that I had for the first time at a little restaurant in Hudson, N.Y. I was drawn to it by its very name, which I investigated and learned it is of East Indian origin with a curry base. I have made it many times over the years, and it is always delicious.
Mulligatawny Soup
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons curry powder
4 cup chicken broth
1 small apple, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 cup cooked rice
1 1/4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup heavy cream
In a large soup pot, lightly sauté the onions, carrot, and celery in the butter and olive oil on medium heat.
Add the flour and curry; and stir for about two minutes.
Add the chicken broth; and cook on medium heat for thirty minutes.
Add the apple, tomato, cooked rice, cooked chicken, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper; and simmer for fifteen minutes.
Add the cream before serving.
Tips:
Serve with buttered French bread.
It tastes even better reheated the next day!
