Chicken Soup North African Style

This is one if not THE favorite new recipe I've made since I started my cooking adventure. It comes from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. It did take a little while to make, but I think it is well worth the effort. Also, the cookbook marks it as a "Fit to Eat" recipe, so it should be a healthy one as well as tasty. (Sorry, no picture of finished product.)


Ingredients:

• 3 Medium Carrots


• 2 Whole Chicken Breasts, split, bone in, Skin removed


• 1 Leek, white and pale-green parts, quartered lengthwise, well-washed


• 1 Celery Stalk, strings removed, cut into 1 inch lengths


• 3 Sprigs Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley


• 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme


• 2 Dried Bay Leaves


• 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt


• 1/4 tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper


• 3 Whole Canned Tomatoes, drained, seeded, and quartered


• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin


• 1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger


• 1 C. Diced Butternut Squash


• 1 C. Quick Cooking Couscous


• 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced


• 1/3 C. Finely Chopped Cilantro Leaves, plus sprigs for garnish


• 2 small zucchini, seeded, cut into 1/4 inch dice


• 1/2 C. Cooked or Canned Chickpeas, drained


• 2 limes, cut into wedges

1. Halve 1 carrot; place in stockpot. Add chicken, 2 quarts water, leek, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and 1 tsp. salt. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour; skim off any foam. Remove chicken. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl. Discard solids, reserving meat. Slice chicken into 1/2 inch-thick strips, and set aside.

2. Rinse pot; add stock. Set over medium-low heat; add pepper. Dice remaining carrots. Add carrots, tomatoes, cumin, ginger, and squash; simmer over medium heat until tender, about 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add couscous and remaining salt. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff. Stir in jalapeno and cilantro.

4. Add zucchini and chickpeas; cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add chicken; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.Place couscous in bowls, add soup; add cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. serve hot.

This is one recipe where I would use the fresh herbs where it says fresh. We made it twice and the second time I used dried herbs. I could taste the difference. Fresh was definitely best. I hope you like it as much as we did. Man! was it good.