By Jan Jackson for One Pan Annie
Chicken, chopped broccoli and instant mashed potatoes boiling in the rice cooker.
One Pan Annie tells me that the first time she went to Ireland she prepared herself for ordinary food. She also says that every time she goes back, she can’t wait to eat their food. Her favorite? Blended soups.
Before she went to Ireland, the only blended soups she was familiar with were split pea and cream of mushroom. After going to Ireland, she learned there isn’t any soup that can’t be blended. Today’s soup is broccoli (as you can see bubbling in its pre-blended state in the rice cooker).
Here is what she did:
Lay a chicken thigh in the bottom of the rice cooker (in lieu of using chicken broth)
Fill with chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter)
After you add the water, mix in about 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes (it thickens the soup)
Add salt and pepper to suit.
Mixer wand or stick mixer.
Flip the switch on the rice cooker to “cook.” When it is finished, lift the piece of chicken before you start blending . You can blend by hand with a potato masher (I can’t find mine – smile) or use an inexpensive mixer wand.
If you want, remove the chicken from the bone and put back in the soup. I was hungry so I just ate the chicken by itself before I even blended the soup.
My mixer wand has a pulse button and I only give it a few pulses. I like a chunky blended soup and don’t need it pureed like I like my split pea soup pureed. Pureed soups are a great way to eat your favorite vegetables and/or a great way to use up vegetables that need “using up.” Love using the instant mashed potatoes to thicken it – like it a lot better than using flour or milk or any other things. I buy the single packets of mashed potatoes because I use so little of it at a time I can keep it closed up in its little packet – it does a lot of pots of rice cooker soup.
Going to Ireland? One Pan Annie says you’ll love the blended soups.
Bon Appétit
