Senegalese Chicken Soup

From Paul Wargaski

Paul, a luthier and bass player with the band Tangleweed, has been a stalwart soup cook since we started doing this eight years ago — and every year he produces a stunner. The vibrant broth for this chicken soup lasted long after the actual chicken had been picked from the pot, and it was delicious all on its own. Of its origins, he says: “Last week, we played a walk-on song with Noura Mint Seymali, a group from Mauritania, at World Music Wednesday up at the Old Town School.  The weekend before the concert we had a dinner and rehearsal with them and the whole of Tangleweed made dinner and we all had a great time. My contribution was my Senegalese Soup which is making a encore appearance tonight at Soup & Bread.”

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1.5 tablespoon Flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
paprika
1/2 cup slivered cooked chicken

Preparation
In a separate bowl beat together egg yolks and half & half.

In a large pot, melt butter over low heat and add curry and onion powder, then blend in flour until mixed well. Slowly add chicken broth, then carrots and celery; bring to a boil and season with paprika to taste.

Reduce heat.

When the soup is no longer boiling stir the eggs and cream mixture into the soup over low heat being careful not to let it return to a boil

When soup has thickened a bit (5-10 minutes), add cooked chicken.

Serve when chicken is warmed through.