Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Up to 10 lbs of organic chicken thighs, depending on budget
3 Tbsp organic canola oil
3 onions, chopped
24 c water
2 Tbsp salt
6 bay leaves
2 bunches of carrots
3 ribs celery
9 plum tomatoes (optional)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
6 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 c cooked organic quinoa pasta shells
Parmesan cheese (If there is no dairy allergy in the room, you can float the rind of a Parmesan wedge as the soup simmers. Otherwise, serve grated cheese on the side.)
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Directions: |
Directions:Directions are divided between Team 1 and Team 2. Both teams work simultaneously.
TEAM 1 Directions:
Team 1 (most experienced young chefs) brown chicken: Preheat 2 large soup pots with 1˝ Tbsp oil in each pot, medium heat. Turn on fan on range hood. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt if chicken is not brined. Working in batches, brown chicken lightly, 5 minutes. Use tongs to set aside in large bowl; repeat with one more double batch. (For LE age classroom, confer with teachers to determine if adults should prep this step before chefs arrive in kitchen.)
Team 1: Once the chicken is browned, use the fat in the bottom of the pots to sauté the onions, carrots and celery, 7 minutes, medium heat. Return chicken to pot, along with any accumulated juices, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
Team 1: Add 12 cups water to EACH pot, 1 Tbsp salt to EACH pot, and 3 bay leaves to EACH pot. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until thighs register 165 F on instant read thermometer, about 20 minutes.
Team 1: Once chicken is cooked, use tongs to remove from pot and cool slightly before removing skin and shredding chicken off bone with forks. While you are working on chicken, please ask your adult volunteer to strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer. You can combine into 1 single soup pot at this time if it is large enough.
Team 1: Float thyme in pot as you hold soup over low heat until closer to serving time. Just before serving, taste to see if additional salt and pepper are needed. Add chopped parsley, fresh tomatoes, and cooked quinoa pasta just before serving.
TEAM 2 Directions:
Team 2 simultaneously starts to prep as the chicken browns: Peel 3 onions, cut in half, then cut each half in half again. Place in food processor. Pass these onions to the team at the stove.
Team 2: Scrub carrots with veggie brush, peel, and cut into thin circles. Pass to team at stove.
Team 2: Wash celery, remove some tougher outer skin with veggie peeler, and chop into thin semi-circles. Pass to team at stove.
Team 2: Wash and chop tomatoes if using. Hold to side and add to soup at the very end, just before serving.
Team 2: Grate a wedge of Parmesan cheese to serve on side. If no dairy allergy, the rind can float in the pasta pot once combined in single pot.
Team 2: Wash and chop parsley.
Team 2: Bring pot of water to boil. About 15 minutes before serving time, add quinoa pasta. Cook according to box, but taste for texture and drain when still firm. Add to soup just before serving or it will be mushy. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: I will never forget the first time I volunteered for hot lunch when my oldest child entered LE. I was so excited to cook with the children. The excitement quickly turned to panic, however, about two days before the event. My very experienced room parent at the time passed me the money needed and thanked me for helping the students. And that was it. I had absolutely no idea how to adapt a recipe to feed 25 or 50 people, how to shop for it, nor how to prepare the environment so that the students could be independent yet have lunch ready by 11:15 AM. And so began my journey into the world of hot lunch. It has evolved to be one of my favorite parts of sharing this campus with the families of MSR. When you see our students working collaboratively, and observe their pride and zeal for the food that they prepared with their classroom community, it is truly breathtaking.
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This recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup for a Crowd is from