When it gets really cold and you feel a little sick, people in the US immediately think about chicken noodle soup. Chicken pot-au-feu is a French version of that. It is extremely lean and healthy, and the chicken and vegetable broth will give you a lot of comfort. This recipe is a simplified and modernized version of the classic French pot-au-feu, which would require a larger (and fatier) choice of meats. For a vegetarian meal, you can skip the meat and maybe add a little more potatoes to make the dish more filling.
Ingredients (serves 8):
2 lb boneless chicken breasts (organic free range if possible), rinsed under water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 leaks, cleaned, with most of the green part discarded, cut in 3 parts and tied together with a string
2 turnips, cut in 8
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
1 onion, cut in 8
4 potatoes, pealed and cut in 2
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
Fresh thyme and bay leaves tied together with a string to make a bouquet garni
2 cloves
1 pinch black peppercorn
As the bouillon starts boiling, remove the foam at the surface with a slotted spoon. Once there is no foam left, add all the vegetables, cloves and peppercorn and cook for about one hour.
Serve in bowls or deep soup plates, with strong Maille mustard.
