Italian Penicillin Soup

Step 1

Add olive oil (2 tablespoons) to a large (6-8 quart) heavy bottom pot and heat, over medium heat, until it shimmers. Add carrots (1 pound), onion (1 cup), shallots, and celery (4 stalks), and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Step 2

Add garlic (1 1/2 tablespoons), and continue cooking, stirring often, digging down with your spoon to the bottom of the pan so the garlic doesn't burn.

Step 3

Stir in the chicken broth (8 cups), thyme (3 sprigs), oregano (2 sprigs), rosemary (1 sprig), bay leaf (1), Parmesan rind (1), salt (1 teaspoon), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Bring mixture to a boil, immediately reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until veggies are very tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Step 4

Remove soup from heat. Using a long-handled slotted spoon remove and discard Parm rind, bay leaf, and stems of the herbs.

Step 5

Using the slotted spoon, transfer about 2-3 cups of cooked vegetables (without any sprigs of herbs) from the broth and place in the jar of a blender. Add enough broth, from the soup, to process the vegetables in in the blender. Before processing, allow the vegetables and broth to cool from hot to warm. remove the center cap of the blender top and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Process until mixture is smooth then return mixture to soup pot.

Step 6

Place the pot on medium heat and bring to a boil. Add pasta (1 cup) and return mixture to a rapid simmer, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain. Remove from heat and remove and discard sprigs of herbs.

Step 7

Stir in peas (1 cup), cooked chicken (3 cups), grated Parmesan (1/2 cup), and lemon zest (1 teaspoon). Adjust seasoning, as needed. Ladle into individual bowls and serve. Pass extra Parmesan alongside.