This soup is very filling and wonderfully delicious! If you have time it would be really good with home-made garlic bread sticks.
The ingredients are 2 chicken breasts, 1 package gnocchi, a handful of spinach, 1 cup cream, 1 qt chicken stock, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 onion, part of a carrot, dried thyme, 1/4 cup flour*, 4 Tb butter, salt and pepper.
{*I had intended to only use 1/4 cup flour and enough butter to make a proper roux. However as you read, it wasn’t enough to thicken the soup. You can save yourself the trouble I had by using 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup fat or oil of your choice, I prefer unsalted butter. At culinary school they teach that the consistency of the roux should be that of peanut butter, however I find that a thinner roux i.e. more fat, works better for me.}
I decided to put water on to boil the gnocchi separately from the soup. I also decided to make the soup part first and add the chicken and vegetables after it thickened. I used chicken stock and heavy cream which I put into the microwave for 5 minutes prior to beginning so that it would be hot when I add it to the roux.
Once the roux was made I added the hot stock and cream, brought it up to a boil and seasoned it with the dried thyme, salt and pepper. I sprinkled an even layer of each across the surface of the soup. I will taste it when the soup is finished, adjusting it if needed at that time. I then put the soup on the back burner, on low heat to simmer. The next thing to do was saute the chicken breast in my wok pan. I cut them to the size of the gnocchi.
Once the chicken was at least half way cooked I added the onion, garlic and carrot and kept cooking. I want the vegetables softened but not browned. I am cooking on medium high heat.
Turns out a quarter cup of flour was not enough flour to thicken the soup. I added some more butter and another quarter cup of flour to the chicken to make another roux. The same as the first roux, I just want to cook it a little bit before adding the hot soup.
Once the soup was added and started to thicken, I added the chopped spinach.
At this point the water came to a rolling boil and I added the gnocchi. They only cook for three minutes and once they float they are done. I added a touch more salt.
This was near perfect timing as the soup simmered for 5 minutes to cook the flour and finish thickening. I used my spider ladle to transfer the gnocchi to the soup.
Considering the soup didn’t take all day, the flavor was really good! I also appreciated the fine dice (brunoise) of the vegetables. They looked really good in the soup, cooked quickly, and was a nice contrast to the gnocchi sized chicken breast. I wish now I had made some garlic bread sticks!
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