Magdalin's Soup

 Magdalin Aldhubhaibi is one of my best and oldest friends.  We've know each other since we were in Bangladesh and since then we have attempted to spend Christmases together, succeeding in Mali, Ethiopia, France and Senegal.  She's coming tonight.


Magdalin was born and raised in Sudan, daughter of a Syrian mother and a Greek-Cypriot father.  She is married to the original "bad boy" from Kuwait, Abdoulaye Abou Fahad (or just father of Fahad).  Our sons have played together and so have our husbands.  And so have we all.


It's been a pretty crazy day.  The workers came to install the counter tops and then Nicolas came to install my 120 and 220 pop up plugs.  I had intended to make a veal roast but with the workers inside, that idea went out of the window.  Just as well, Magdalin's flight is delayed by 3 hours.

The round things in the middle of the island are my 120 and 220 pop up electrical outlets

Magdalin is traveling from Kuwait and she is sure to be freezing!   I decided to make her a soup with chicken, ham and vegetables.   That and a little champagne should do the trick.


MAGDALIN'S SOUP


6 chicken thighs
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper 


2 tbsp olive oil
3 celery stalks chopped
1 large onion chopped
1/2 each yellow, green, red bell pepper chopped
1 cup of ham cubes

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

1 large Maggi chicken cube

5 large potatoes irregularly cubed
3 large carrots sliced


salt and pepper to taste


Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on the chicken thighs and cook them on a rack in a 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes until browned.


While the chicken is cooking, saute the celery, onion and peppers in the olive oil until soft.  Add the ham cubes and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.


Place the chicken thighs in the pot on top of the vegetables and ham.   Add water to cover, the thyme, cumin bay leaf and Maggi cube.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.   Remove chicken, allow to cool, then remove skin and bones and chop coarsely. 


Add the chopped chicken, potatoes, carrots to the pot and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are cooked, about 30 minutes.


Wine suggestion:   Too tired for Champagne, we drank some nouveau Beaujolais.