That roasted chicken from Sunday just keeps on giving.  Tonight, it was Bean Soup.  The soup itself was pretty basic and simple.  I boiled down the broth I had made yesterday just a bit more to concentrate the flavor and then added the leftover gravy I had made.  I then added three cans of beans – pinto, roman, and pink beans (I always have a variety of canned beans on the shelf.)  I hit it with the immersion blender and pureed it pretty well.  I just added a bit of S&P because it had a pretty good flavor and I was looking for a simple soup because I was going to add stuff.

And the fun began.

I had seen a recipe in La Cucina Italiana for a chick pea soup with cabbage and chicken on top.  It was a really really thick soup, but from looking at the recipe, not overly exciting.  Victor pretty much loathes cooked cabbage in any form, so that idea was out.  I decided to work with the concept…

I cooked a chicken breast with 2 links of fresh chorizo, removed from the casing.  I then wilted spinach in a bit of roasted garlic butter and spooned that on top of the soup.   I added the chicken and chorizo on top of that and dove in!

Oh…  and I baked another loaf of bread identical to the one yesterday.

And for dessert…

Madeleines!

I don’t think I have made a Madeleine since CCSF circa 1974.  Years and years and years…  But our friend Ann posted a recipe back in December and I’ve been wanting one ever since.  I finally broke down and bought a Madeleine pan, and yesterday made the dough.

I baked after work today.

Ann’s Madeleines

This recipe makes a dozen of the med to large size.

Make up batter the day before or at least a couple of hours before:

  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 C sifted flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • Zest of one orange, more or less
  • 2 eggs, room temp
  • 3 1/4 oz butter, melted and cooled

Mix dry ingredients in bowl, add zest, stir in.

Add eggs and melted butter, stir, don’t beat until just combined.  You don’t want to incorporate a lot of air into the batter.

Chill for 2 hours up to 4 days.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Oil and flour pans (Lady in store said grapeseed oil gives the best crust)

Using pastry bag, pipe batter into molds.  I didn’t use a tip as I didn’t have one big enough, isn’t as if you are going to make a design you know.

Bake 7-11 minutes until edges are browned and the top springs back when tapped with a finger

Turn out onto rack and let cool.

These outdo Julia.

And who am I to argue?  They came out rich and buttery and just properly crisp.

I see more of these in our future…