chicken + wild rice soup w/kale + tomato paprika mayo

It sounds pretty terrible to float mayonnaise in a soup—at least that is what I thought when I read a recipe for French fish stew finished with rouille, a red pepper mayo traditional in Provence. Turns out it isn’t gross, unless you don’t like mayo, in which case consider turning your head when you scoop it into the soup bowl and give it a stir; within 30 seconds it will have melted, and the soup (and life) will be better.

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Step 1

In a soup pot, heat a glug of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic with a big pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper and sweat until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Step 2

Add the carrots and wild rice and stir to combine and briefly toast. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes for soaked and 50 for unsoaked.

Step 3

When the rice is tender, add the chicken breasts to the soup. Drop in one slice at a time—if you plunk the whole pile in together, sometimes the slices fuse back together as the proteins constrict. Poach until the chicken is cooked through, 5 minutes or so.

Step 4

To serve, portion the kale into soup bowls and ladle the soup over the kale, allowing it to wilt gently. Combine the conserva and mayo in a small bowl and blend until smooth. Spoon a couple of dollops of the conserva mayo on top of each bowl.