Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny soup

from my friend Rebecca over at down the rabbit hole
(absolutely worth your time to visit over there)

Yield: 4-6 servings

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. curry powder
4 c. chicken broth
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/4 c. rice, uncooked
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Saute chicken breast on stovetop until just cooked; some pink in the middle is fine.  Remove from heat and dice.  While chicken is cooking, heat butter and olive oil in separate pot.  Add onion and carrot and cook until softened.  Add flour, curry powder, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.  Add apple, rice, chicken, and thyme.  Simmer 15 more minutes or until rice is soft and chicken is cooked through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Rebecca's extra notes:
"Some versions add half and half or coconut milk at the end; this version is hearty enough for us without.  For the crockpot savvy, this recipe can be adapted.  Leaving out the butter, olive oil, and flour, combine all ingredients in crockpot except apple and rice.  Simmer 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and pulls apart easily.  Add apple and rice 45 minutes (or less) before the end."  (my note: I went the crockpot route, and wished that I had used a Granny Smith apple instead of the softer mealier one I used that didn't contribute much of an apple taste at all.)

It's a safe bet that a soup coming out of Rebecca's kitchen is delicious, well-thought-out, and interesting.  She's one of these folks who loves fall and winter (I envy that) and seems to have a different soup for every cold-weather milestone.  She uses cool spices and fun root vegetables and is the kid of person who makes homemade granola and brews loose-leaf tea.  We met through a mutual friend when Rebecca moved to my town; I had my biggest culinary goof-up the first time she and her husband came to dinner; we were pregnant with our first children at the same time and our daughters were born just three weeks apart.  Even though we no longer live close to each other, I'm thankful as always to have her influence in my kitchen!