Chicken and Rice Soup

My latest favorite soup and I will probably make it al winter long...

Ingredients

10 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 TBSP olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups cooked rice
2 TBSP lime juice

Directions

Boil chicken breast in water for twenty minutes.  Remove from water, and shred the chicken when cooled.

In a very large soup pot, simmer vegetables and bay leaf in olive oil until they begin to soften, about 10-15 minutes.  Stir in chicken and broth.  (I prefer to use the water the chicken was boiled in as part of the 10 cups of broth.) Simmer for 10 minutes. Add rice and lime juice, cook and stir until rice is hot and grains begin to separate, about 1 minute.

Shrimp Cakes

Shrimp Cakes

Absolutely delicious shrimp cakes! Cooked shrimp, formed into patties with cooked sweet potatoes, garlic, red onion, breadcrumbs, jalapeno, cilantro, and spices, then fried.

•    Yield: Makes six large cakes.

INGREDIENTS

•    1 lb tan-skinned sweet potatoes

•    4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

•    4 Tbsp (or more) vegetable oil

•    8 oz peeled, cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped

•    2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

•    2/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs

•    2 Tbsp finely chopped pickled or fresh jalapeños

•    2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion

•    1 1/2 teaspoons spice mix (recipe included below)

•    Flour for dusting (1/2 to 1 cup)

Spice Mix Ingredients:  notes: I did not make this but substituted with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of listed items

•    1/4 cup cumin seeds

•    3 Tbsp whole black peppercorns

•    1 Tbsp coriander seeds

•    2 Tbsp sugar

•    1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

METHOD

Spice Mix Method

Add cumin seeds, peppercorns, and coriander to a heavy medium skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. Grind spices in a blender or spice grinder (can use a coffee grinder that has been cleaned by grinding raw rice) until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in sugar and salt. Makes about half a cup. You'll only need 1 1/2 teaspoons of the spice mix for one shrimp cakes recipe, so store the remainder for future use.

Shrimp Cakes Method

1 Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in microwave for about 15 minutes until done. Rub one tablespoon of oil over unpeeled garlic. Cook in microwave a few minutes, until soft. Let the garlic and sweet potatoes cool enough to handle. Peel the garlic. Cut the sweet potato in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Combine the cooked sweet potato and garlic in a bowl and mash until smooth.

2 Add the shrimp, cilantro, breadcrumbs, jalapeño, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Spice Mix. Mix until well blended. Season with salt. Use your hands to form the mixture into six patties, 3-inches in diameter.

3 Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly dust the shrimp cakes in flour. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the shrimp cakes until nicely browned, adding more oil as needed, about 2 minutes per side.

Place the shrimp cakes on a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Tastes great served with lemon, tartar sauce, and coleslaw.