Southwestern Chicken and Red Rice Soup

Since it's chilly at night,  I recently made this delightful soup recipe, adapted from a good friend's version of soup she had ordered at a local cafe.  Full of piquant peppers and onions, hearty red rice, corn and chicken, this soup was one of the best I've tasted in a long while.

Red rice you ask?  It was the first time I had used it, as I normally use brown rice.  I've since learned that red rice is even more nutritious than brown rice! Red rice gets it's color from an antioxidant called anthrocyanins, which are found in dark purple and red fruits and vegetables.  Anthrocyanins are believed to have properties that reduce inflammation and can prevent the risk of cancer.  The manganese found in both red and brown rice helps to strengthen metabolism, lower blood pressure as well as lower heart attack risk.  And, there is Magnesium in it that can strengthen bones and teeth (if taken along with calcium).  Red rice has a delightful nutty flavor.

With a side of tortilla chips, either crumbled or used as a 'spoon' for dipping into your soup, it will be hard to not go back for seconds.  Believe me, I did :)   The flavors in this soup are bright and flavorful enough to serve all year long and is only moderately spicy, not hot.

Garden and yard clean up is taking up a lot of time now that the snow has finally melted.  It's wonderful to see things sprouting and growing again!

We also had a all-family gathering recently where we celebrated three family birthdays.  It was a delicious event hosted by my daughter and son-in-law.  I'd love to share with you the new 'gallery' of artwork my daughter recently installed, all of which were created by my 6-year-old grandson, Dane. It makes me smile knowing that we may have a budding artist in the family :)

Southwestern Chicken and Red Rice Soup

Printable Recipe

1-2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or grapeseed
1 large yellow onion, diced
4-5 large stalks of fresh celery, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 scant tablespoon of garlic, minced
1 large or two small Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes in juice
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or use rotisserie chicken breast), about 2 cups
1 12-oz bag frozen white corn (use all or as much as you like)
1 cup uncooked red rice (Whole Foods), brown rice can be subbed if you can't find red rice
4 cups chicken stock (I like Costco's Organic Chicken Stock or Kitchen Basic Unsalted Chicken Stock)
2 cups water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Tortilla chips and chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a soup or stock pot, saute the onions and celery in oil over medium heat until transparent.

Add the diced peppers and saute a few minutes more. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the petite diced tomatoes, including juice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 45 minutes.

Add the wild rice, bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 40 minutes until the rice is tender but not soft. It should be 'al dente'.

Add the cooked chicken and corn and simmer until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper) and serve.

Note: Red rice may be slightly more difficult to find than other kinds of rice.  You should be able to find it at Whole Foods or a very well-stocked grocery store. Lundberg is a very good brand and grown in California. If you are lucky enough to find it locally, I highly recommend it. 

You can find Lundberg red rice on Amazon by clicking here.  

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Mushroom and Barley Soup

Do you know what it's like when you have something that tastes so utterly fantastic at a restaurant that you become obsessed with trying to recreate the recipe at home? (Hmmm, maybe that's just me!).

Last week, I had lunch with some dear friends at a downtown restaurant and had a delightful bowl of mushroom and barley soup that was so full of flavor, I had to figure out how to make it.  Sometimes, being in an atmosphere of camaraderie makes everything taste better so I was anxious to see if my research and effort paid off. If you love mushrooms and mushroom soups, this is one of the best I've tried and was equally good as the restaurant version!

After all, it is November, or NovemBrrrr I should say! We had a couple of light frosts the last week of October and finally had to turn on the heat. If you are craving warm, earthy and comforting food, this mushroom and barley soup delivers! The savory, almost meaty, flavor of the mushrooms in a rich broth has a wonderful mouth-feel and the barley makes it satisfying bowl of soup.  Just add some crusty bread, a salad, and perhaps a glass of wine.

Did you know mushrooms are good for you too?  Rich in B vitamins and in disease-fighting phytochemicals, eating them regularly has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer in studies of Chinese and Korean women. They have also prevented prostate cancer cells from multiplying in mice and might do the same in men. They are also a good source of selenium.

The leaves are falling, the winds are blowing and a chill is in the air. Let's have soup!

Mushroom and Barley Soup

Printable Recipe 

Serves 6 to 8

1 ounce dried Porcini mushrooms 

1 ounce dried Shiitake mushrooms

4 strips meaty bacon, diced

1-1/2 tablespoon tomato paste 

1 small onion, chopped into small dice 

2 carrots, chopped into small dice 

1 stalk celery, chopped into small dice 

1 shallot, chopped 

2 large cloves garlic, chopped 

1 pound baby Portabella mushrooms, quartered and sliced 

1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 

1/3 cup dry sherry 

1 cup pearl barley

4 cups chicken stock 

4 cups vegetable stock

1-1/2 teaspoons salt 

3/4 teaspoon pepper 

Fresh parsley, chopped

Note: You can make this soup vegetarian by eliminating the bacon. Sauté the vegetables in oil and replace chicken stock with all vegetable stock.  Please don't omit the dried mushrooms and reserved mushroom-soaking liquid.  They are essential to the complex flavor of this soup.  Amazon sells the Mycological Brand of dried mushrooms quite reasonably as an 'Add On' Item to your order. 

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 3/4 cup hot water and soak to soften while proceeding with the rest of the recipe. Important - Reserve the soaking water! 

In a soup pot over medium low heat, add the diced bacon sauté slowly, until evenly browned. Stir in the tomato paste and allow to caramelized just a bit. 

Reduce the heat to low, and add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and shallot to the pot and sauté about 10-12 minutes, until softened. 

Turn the heat back up to medium and add the garlic and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms release their moisture. 

Remove the rehydrated mushrooms from the soaking water (reserving liquid), and chop. 

Add the chopped, rehydrated mushrooms and the barley to the pot and mix to combine. 

Add the dry sherry and soy sauce and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. 

Add the stocks and the reserved liquid from the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. 

Turn heat down to low and simmer soup, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes, until the barley is softened. 

Add chopped parsley just before serving. 

Tip: Freeze the rest of the unused tomato paste in 1 Tablespoon portions in plastic wrap bundles. Place inside a zipper bag and keep in the freezer until you need a small portion of tomato paste again. 

Recipe inspired by Food 52