Devonshire Chicken Soup
What's the secret to this recipe? Good quality, flavorful chicken, not the supermarket plump variety. Normally we like to source everything through the main supermarkets to make life easy. This time a little extra effort will be rewarded. The other key is the pinch of mixed spice.
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Ingredients
- 1 small chicken cut up and keep the bone on
- Milk 3% Sufficient to cover the chicken
- 2 medium potatoes sliced
- 1 medium onion Slice and diced
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1½ tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- Salt & ground white pepper
- 1 cup 35% cream
Instructions
- Place the chicken, onions and potato in a large saucepan and cover to about 1 inch with milk. Slowly bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour.
- Lift out the chicken pieces, remove the skin, and discard the bones.
- Chop the chicken meat. I like to fine chop the meat but leave plenty of slightly chunkier pieces. Place to one side for later.
- Allow the milk stock to cool, and remove excess fat from the surface then liquidize in your food processor
- In the original pan, melt the butter and combine the all-purpose flour. Now, start to slowly combine the milk stock into the flour paste. Do this over a low heat and make sure you keep stirring to avoid lumps. (See my note below)
- Next, stir in the mixed spices, salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.
- Add as much of the chicken as you want. If there's any left over it can be used for sandwiches or as a pancake filling.
- Allow the soup to cool before stirring in the cream. Reheat, but do not boil. If it seems to thick add a little extra milk.
- As always, it goes well with freshly baked crusty bread.
Notes
Note: Mixing flour and milk mixture.
This was the original method that I was taught. However, having made a lot of custard, I’d like to offer an alternative method that I think works well. In a small bowl or cup, mix the flour with a little milk to form a soft paste. Add more milk and mix to form a runny paste. Warm the milk stock and slowly add the flour paste. It’s important to keep stirring the stock to avoid lumps. What about the butter? It’s up to you, but I’d add it for taste.British Mixed Spice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Place the ground spices into a bowl and stir to combine well.
- Transfer the mixed spice into an airtight container for storage.