Jacques Pepin's Chicken Soup

Name: Jacques Pepin's Chicken Soup
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken gizzards and hearts, or gizzards only; 2 to 4 ribs celery (about 7 ounces) cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups); 4 medium carrots (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal; 8 scallions, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 1/4 cups); 1/2 teaspoon dill weed; 1/2 cup sour cream (optional); 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed (optional)

By Jacques Pepin

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Rating: 4(61)
Notes: Read community notes

Featured in: THE PURPOSEFUL COOK; A Chicken Soup Goes to the Heart and Gizzard of the Matter

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

2pounds chicken gizzards and hearts, or gizzards only
2 to 4ribs celery (about 7 ounces) cut into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
4medium carrots (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
1½teaspoons salt
⅓cup yellow cornmeal
8scallions, peeled and coarsely chopped (1¼ cups)
½teaspoon dill weed
½cup sour cream (optional)
¼cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Wash the gizzards and hearts under cool running water, place them in a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard any fat and impurities that rise. Cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes.
Step 2
With a slotted spoon, remove the gizzards and hearts from the cooking liquid and place them on a chopping board. When cool enough to handle, cut them into ¼-inch pieces or chop them coarsely in a food processor. Return them to the cooking liquid with the celery, carrots and salt. Bring back to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the the heat to low and boil gently for another 45 minutes.
Step 3
Add the cornmeal, scallions and dill and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Spoon into bowls. Garnish, if desired, with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

Ratings

4 out of 5

61 user ratings

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MG4 years ago

This soup is about the best use of gizzards I can imagine. I’ve used a number of Pepin recipes and rarely disappointed. That said, for this soup I was surprised there were not more spices. Maybe I’m just not that huge a fan of gizzards; if you’re not, I would definitely go heavier on onions and add garlic, pepper, and maybe cayenne and cumin. I also skipped the cornmeal and substituted quinoa, turned out well.

Christine4 years ago

excellent

Holly6 years ago

Left out cornmeal, cilantro and scallions. Added one small onion that was on hand, and some cooked ditalini to each plate. Topped with grated Romano cheese. Strong odor of gizzards didn't appeal to me, but my husband, of European decent, liked this soup. Simple, inexpensive and not fussy to make.

Nicholas Finkelstein5 years ago

Why leave out three ingredients that seem very interesting? Cornmeal in a chicken soup? I'd be sure to leave it in, because it's what makes the recipe interesting.

must try chicken soup6 years ago

Great

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