Green Eggs and Ham

     I never did like green food.  So it's no surprise that the Dr. Suess book referenced in today's title didn't appeal to me.  In fact, as a child I once threw up when forced to eat peas at the dinner table.  That pretty much ended the campaign to get "Little Tommy" to eat his veggies.  And it wasn't until much later, probably in my college years, that I even tried such strange foods as green beans.  I tolerate lettuce and think celery is just plain boring and have just this year begun to extol the virtues of exotic stuff like kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  After all, they are all very healthy.
     So what to do about St. Patrick's Day?  I can't say I've ever eaten corned beef and cabbage and have no desire to begin that tradition at my age.  So as I perused my cookbooks looking for a suitable green meal to prepare I came across a soup recipe that incorporates celery, leeks and onions into a creamy, savory broth.  And to bolster the flavor cubed cooked white meat chicken is added.  It sounded plausible and it did turn out mildly green after a spin in the food processor.  And the chicken will give me something to chew on, a vital element in any of my soups.
     As we say in Dublin, "The top o' the morning to ye, and the rest of the day to meself!"  Here's the recipe for a green soup to honor St. Patrick:

CHICKEN, LEEK & CELERY SOUP 

4 cups of chicken stock                               3 lg leeks, including green parts, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf                                                      2 stalks celery, thinly sliced 

7 oz skinned boneless chicken breast      2 tbsp heavy cream 

4 tbsp all purpose flour                               freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsp butter                                                    salt & pepper 

1 onion, finely chopped                               fresh cilantro or parsley, to garnish 

    

      Heat the stock in a small sauce pan with the bay leaf until it is steaming.  Add the chicken breast and simmer gently for 20 minutes.  Discard the bay leaf.  Remove the chicken and, when cool enough to handle, cut into small cubes. 

     Put the flour in a bowl.  Very slowly whisk in enough of the stock to make a smooth liquid, adding about half the stock. 

     Heat the butter in a heavy based saucepan over a medium-low heat.  Add the onion, leeks, and half of the celery.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks begin to soften.  Slowly pour in the flour and stock mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Stir in the remaining stock.  Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. 

     Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth, working in batches, if necessary.  Puree the soup solids with enough cooking liquid to moisten them, then combine with the remaining liquid.

     Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream and nutmeg.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place over a medium-low heat.  Add the chicken breast and remaining celery to the soup.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the celery is just tender, stirring occasionally.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with cilantro or parsley.

What's Cooking: Soups, Carole Clements, p. 138.