Chicken brodo with spring vegetables and crispy fried bread

Ingredients for Chicken brodo with spring vegetables and fried bread

• 1,800 g raw chicken bones

• 3 spring onions, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 85 g thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

• 75 g dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed

• 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 4 slices country-style bread, 1.25 cm thick

• kosher salt

• 280 g asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed, thinly sliced on a diagonal into 2.5–4 cm pieces

• 115 g button mushrooms, stems trimmed, very thinly sliced

• 200 g pea shoots (tendrils)

• 15 ml fresh lemon juice

• finely grated parmesan (for serving)

• freshly ground black pepper

How to make Chicken brodo with spring vegetables and fried bread

1. Bring chicken bones and 2.8 L of cold water to a gentle simmer in a large pot, avoiding a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and maintain a bare simmer, skimming off any foam occasionally, until the stock has reduced by one-third, about 2 ½–3 hours.

2. Add the spring onions, garlic, prosciutto, and mushrooms to the pot, and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.

3. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and discard the solids; you should have approximately 2.3 L of stock. Pour 700 ml of the stock into an airtight container and reserve it for another use.

4. Do Ahead: Prepare the stock up to 3 days in advance. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

5. Heat 80 ml of oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil begins to look glossy, add the slices of bread and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the toasted bread to a plate and season lightly with salt.

6. Pour the reserved stock into a large saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Taste and season with salt as needed. Add the asparagus and cook until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mushrooms.

7. In a medium bowl, toss the pea shoots with lemon juice and season with salt.

8. Divide the soup among bowls and place a piece of fried bread into each one. Top with the dressed pea shoots and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with plenty of oil and season with black pepper to taste.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.