This delicious escarole soup is healthy, easy, low in fat, and can be adapted for vegans or vegetarians. If you have time to make it with fresh chicken, please do, since it’s not hard and the flavor is absolutely wonderful. But if you’re pressed for time, use the quick soup variation at the end of the recipe, which is still pretty darn good.
Escarole is a leafy green that is very popular in Italian and Indian cuisine. A member of the chicory family, escarole looks like very curly leaf lettuce and is considered a type of endive. When raw, escarole is very crunchy, with a slightly bittersweet flavor that works well when combined with sweet buttery lettuces. But when cooked it becomes mild and savory, especially if it’s gently stewed with garlic, white wine, olive oil, and mild chicken stock. All those wonderful flavors are combined in this light yet satisfying soup.
- 3 quarts water
- 1 cup white table wine (chardonnay or pinot grigio are good)
- 6 chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in, excess white fat removed
- 3 stalks celery, sliced, with chopped leafy tops
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (or more if you love garlic!)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 4 whole peppercorns
- 1 small head escarole, washed and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Put the water, wine, and chicken into a big stock pot. Bring to a boil, using a big spoon to skim off any yukky foam that might collect on the surface. Then add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns, reduce the heat so the soup simmers gently, partially cover it, and forget about it (except for stirring occasionally) for a couple of hours. Then take the pot off the heat, remove the lid, and let it cool (preferably in the fridge), leaving the chicken in the pot.
Once the soup is cold, skim off the fat at the top and remove the chicken pieces. Skin and bone the chicken. Give the chicken skin to the dog, discard the bones, and reserve the meat for adding to the soup later.
About half an hour before serving, bring the soup to a boil, add the orzo, and boil for about 10 minutes. Add the escarole and parsley, reduce the heat to a strong simmer, and cook another 10-15 minutes, until the escarole is nice and tender. Add the reserved chicken and simmer another minute or two. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and olive oil, and stir well. Serve with crusty bread.
For a Quicker Soup
Instead of using water and real chicken, substitute 3 quarts of best quality free-range chicken broth. Simmer the vegetables and seasonings in the stock for about 20 minutes, then go straight to adding the orzo and proceed from there.
Vegan/Vegetarian Option
For non-meat eaters, substitute 3 quarts of vegan or vegetarian chicken stock, either purchased in aseptic packages or made from a good powder mix. (You can also substitute vegetable broth, but if you do omit the onions – most vegetable stocks already contain plenty of onion.) Cook the veggies in the broth for about 15 minutes, then go straight to the point where you add the orzo and keep going.
6-8 generous servings.