The smell arrives before everything else. That stock base beginning to simmer with the sautéed mushrooms — it smells like Sunday afternoon, not a rushed weeknight. This meal-soup is meant to be prepared slowly, without looking at the clock.
Ingredients :
- Baby bella mushrooms — They have more character than white button mushrooms — a light earthy note that blends well into the broth. Don’t wash them under water; they absorb everything and end up waterlogged. A quick wipe with a damp paper towel is more than enough.
- Leeks — Use only the white and light green parts — the dark green is too fibrous and bitter for this soup. Once sliced into rounds, plunge them into a large bowl of cold water and stir well: the dirt falls to the bottom. Lift them out by hand rather than pouring out the bowl.
- Plain liquid yogurt (not Greek) — Greek yogurt is too thick for this dough — the dumplings would come out heavy like lead balls. Use a classic plain yogurt, 0% or whole depending on what you have. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before preparing the dough.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs — Thighs stay tender after 25 minutes of cooking whereas breasts become dry and stringy. Cut them into thick cubes with kitchen shears directly over the pot — faster than a knife on a board.
