Lemon Chicken Stew

5 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup gluten free flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound skinless and boneless chicken cut into pieces
4 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup cooked rice
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

Instructions
In an 8-quart casserole stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium high heat. Add the flour to a shallow bowl and season with about 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess and place half of the chicken in the stockpot but do not overcrowd. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side then transfer the chicken to a bowl. Brown the remaining chicken in 2 more tablespoons of the oil.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the carrots, celery and onion to the stockpot and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the sliced leek and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.
Add the rice and chicken to the stockpot and cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with tarragon.

Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque

Ingredients:

1 pound large shrimp, peel and de-vein, reserve shells
2 oranges, juiced plus 2 tbsp. zested, keep aside
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 leeks, halved, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 thyme sprigs, tied together
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup flour
3 cups water
2 cups single cream (18%)
sea salt & pepper to taste
8 shrimps, sauteed (for garnish)
4 thyme sprigs (for garnish)
Prep:

Heat olive oil & butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted and oil is hot add in the shrimp shells, leeks, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste, cayenne and orange zest. Cook for about ten minutes or until vegetables have softened and shells are red.

Add in the sherry and cook for a further three minutes. Add in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes longer, stirring with the wooden spoon. Top with the water and orange juice and deglaze the pan, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add in the single cream and bring just to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for twenty minutes. Add in the shrimp and cook for a few minutes until cooked through.

Remove from heat and remove shells. Working in batches, run the soup through a processor then pour through a fine sieve and return to a clean pot.

Meanwhile, saute the 8 shrimp for garnish and set aside.
Add the pot back over medium-low heat and season. Ladle into four bowls and top with 2 shrimp and a sprig of thyme.
Serves 4.

Stilton and Cauliflower Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 head of cauliflower (about 2 1/2 Cups) cut into florets
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 Cup whole milk
1/3 Cup Stilton cheese
1/2 Cup cream or half and half
Pinch of salt and pepper

Chop up the onion and celery. cauliflower, trim off the greens and cut down the stalk and then slice it into florets. In a large heavy pan, melt butter add your onions, celery and cauliflower. cook for 5-10 minutes over high heat until everything starts to soften. do not caramelize. cook for about 10 minutes

add the stock and milk and salt and pepper to taste *note, stilton is salty.
Bring the soup to a simmer cook, covered, for about 25 minutes

take the soup off the heat and blend with stick blender or in batches in a regular blender. return soup to pan and heat. whisk in your cream and Stilton cheese. Be sure to whisk well so the cheese melts. let it simmer for another five minutes or so (still whisking).

crumble some additional cheese over soup as garnish.

Pear and Watercress Soup

Pear & Watercress Soup


2 tbsp olive oil
3 large ripe pears, cored, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp butter
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced
2 cups potatoes, roughly 1 large
4 cups chicken broth
2 bunches watercress, about 3 cups
1 cup heavy cream, divided
Sea Salt
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2 peel and core and slice pears. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 cups. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until bubbly and browning. Add the shallots and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add potatoes and pears and then pour in broth.

3 Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Set aside 6 to 8 watercress sprigs for the garnish and add remaining watercress to the soup. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until hot. Purée the soup in batches in a blender until smooth.

5 Return soup to the saucepan and stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Heat until hot. Season to taste.

6 garnish with dollop of remaining cream per bowl, with extra crumbles of goat cheese and a watercress sprig. Serves 6.

Corn Chowder with Bacon

1 bag frozen corn (or one 15oz can)
4 strips of bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup gluten free flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
hot sauce (optional)
grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onion for garnish

1. Crisp 4 slices of bacon in a large soup pot and remove. Throw your onion in the bacon grease and saute for a minute, then add the garlic and season with a bit of salt and pepper to your liking.

2. Add the flour and stir it around for about a minute, then add the chicken stock and your diced potato. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. Add the corn and your bay leaves, and a few drops of hot sauce if desired, Let this simmer for another 15 minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaves and blend about 1/2 - 2/3 of the soup in a blender (or you can use an immersion blender if you have one), and stir the pureed soup back into the pot with the rest of the soup.

Crunch up the bacon you crisped at the beginning to use as a garnish along with some grated cheddar and some chopped green onion,