1 small onion, cut in slices — approximately 1/4 cup (30 g)
1 small carrot, cut in cubes — approximately 1/4 cup (30 g)
1 stalk celery, cut in cubes — approximately 1/4 cup (30 g)
0.25 cup (55 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) curry powder
1 blade of mace
2 whole cloves
1 sprig of fresh parsley
1 pepper (green bell pepper), finely chopped
1 apple, peeled and sliced
1 cup (140 g) raw chicken, cut in dice
1 Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Boiled white rice, for serving
Instructions
1. Prepare all vegetables and chicken before beginning: slice the onion, cube the carrot and celery, chop the pepper, slice the apple, and cut the chicken into small dice.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan (at least 4-quart / 3.8 L capacity) until foaming subsides. Add the sliced onion, cubed carrot, cubed celery, chopped pepper, sliced apple, and diced raw chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and chicken are golden brown on the exterior, 10–14 minutes. This browning step (the Maillard reaction) builds the deep savory base of the soup.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the browned mixture and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour smells faintly nutty and loses its raw scent. This technique is called making a roux: cooking fat and flour together to eliminate raw flour flavor and build thickening power.
4. Add the curry powder, blade of mace, cloves, and parsley sprig. Stir briefly to bloom the spices (briefly heating ground spices in fat to release their aromatic compounds), about 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the White Stock II and the tomatoes. Stir well to incorporate all browned bits from the pan bottom. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 55–65 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender, the liquid has reduced slightly, and the soup has a cohesive, lightly thickened body. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Remove the soup from heat. Using a slotted spoon or spider, lift out the diced chicken pieces and set aside in a bowl. Pour the remaining soup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl or second saucepan, discarding the mace blade, cloves, and parsley sprig. Transfer the strained-out softened vegetables to a food mill or fine-mesh sieve and press them firmly through into the strained liquid, working them with the back of a spoon until only dry fibrous material remains. Discard the solids.
7. Return the strained and vegetable-enriched soup to a clean saucepan. Add the reserved diced chicken. Warm over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the soup is steaming, 4–6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Serve immediately in warmed bowls with boiled white rice on the side or placed in the center of the bowl.
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