Chicken, Rosemary and Farro Soup MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS SOUP AND CHICKEN FOR 4 SANDWICHES
The slow cooker is the perfect way to cook chicken breasts to buttery softness and make a savory soup at the same time. You will need a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker for this since you are making extra chicken for sandwiches. 6 chicken breast halves, on the bone if ¾-pound each package or 4 if 1-pound each, skinned 1 medium onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1/2 cup farro (See Cook’s Note) 2 stems fresh rosemary 1 large lemon, zest pared off 2 large bay leaf 1/2 cup white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped salt and pepper, to taste 1. Strip all the skin from the chicken breasts and discard. In a large slow cooker, put the onion, carrots, celery, farro, rosemary, lemon zest strip, bay leaf, wine and stock. Place the chicken in the pot bone down, and press to submerge as much as possible. Cover the pot and cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 7 hours. 2. Uncover the pot and carefully transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Remove and discard the rosemary, lemon zest and bay leaf. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull 4 cups of it for the chicken sandwiches and reserve by placing in a sealed container or plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pull the rest and shred and tear into bite-sized pieces, and return to the soup. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cook’s Note: Farro is an Italian variety of wheat available whole or pearled. Either will be delicious in this recipe. Whole farro will be firmer, and pearled will be softer.
Chicken, Olive and Red Pepper Sandwiches MAKES 4 LARGE SANDWICHES
Now that you have the chicken prepared, you can dress it up with a few easy ingredients for a sandwich you’ll look forward to all morning. Or, it could be a quick-and-easy dinner.
4 6-inch hoagie rolls or 1 wide baguette cut in 6-inch pieces 4 cups cooked pulled chicken (from Chicken, Rosemary and Farro Soup recipe) 1/4 cup olivada or other black olive paste (See Cook’s Note) 1 cup (7.5-ounce jar) roasted red pepper, drained and patted dry 2 cups fresh salad spinach 4 ounces sharp provolone or aged Asiago, sliced thinly
1. For sandwiches, slice the rolls or baguette pieces in half and pluck out a bit of the bread to make a trough in each half. 2. In a bowl, toss the chicken with the olive paste. In each sandwich, place cheese slices, red pepper slices, 1/4 of the chicken mixture and spinach. Close the sandwich and wrap tightly or secure with toothpicks. 3. If desired, put the sandwiches in a panini grill to toast and heat through. Cook’s Note: Black olive paste is a flavor-packed spread and gives a sandwich instant oomph. If you can’t find it, you can mince and crush 1/2 cup kalamata olives with 1 clove of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil or substitute olive tapenade.
fall 2018 real food 41
