Queen Soup
Queen Soup, or Queen’s Soup, is crafted with a rich blend of almond and poultry stock (chicken, partridge, or capon), and incorporates bread as a thickener. In some recipes, there are other ingredients added for extra flair: lemon, pomegranate seeds, and pistachios can be found in various other versions. The history of this soup is debatable, as some say that it was originally prepared to honor Queen Marguerite de Navarre, and others (as in our cookbook, With a Saucepan Over the Sea, from 1902) claim that it was invented for Mary, Queen of Scots. Regardless of its origin, this classic Queen Soup is a rich and flavorful dish, even without extra garnishes. It's a savory blend of chicken, vegetables, herbs, creamy egg yolk and almonds. Use the herbs and seasoning judiciously; the quantities are not listed for these, so season with your heart.
- 2 large onions
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 ounces butter
- Parsley
- Thyme
- 1 Bayleaf
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 quarts water
- 12 almonds, blanched
- 2 eggs, hardboiled
- 2 slices bread
- Milk
- Cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- Nutmeg
This is said to have been invented for Marie Stuart by the royal cook when she lived in France as dauphiness. It was a favorite with both Victoria and Napoleon Bonaparte. Cook 2 large onions with 2 pieces of celery, both cut up, in 2 ounces of butter. Add some parsley, thyme, and a bayleaf, 1 chicken cut into joints, and 2 quarts of water. Simmer for 4 hours. Take out the chicken, cut the meat of the wings and breast into dice, and keep the dark meat for croquettes or salad. Chop one dozen blanched almonds, the yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs, and 2 slices of bread soaked in milk. Pound these with the meat and press through a sieve; add to the soup, strained, 1 cup of boiling cream or rich milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve at once, hot.