Chicken Soup Recipe Northern Italy Italy Flare

Last week, chef Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar and Grill offered us a great recipe for chicken soup with a Southern twist.

He also shared an excellent tip: One of the easiest ways to change the flavor of a dish is by swapping out the fat. For a French twist, use butter; for a taste that smacks of the American South, try bacon grease; give it Mediterranean flavor by using olive oil.

Today, we look to northern Italy for inspiration, with Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson of Boulder's Frasca Food and Wine as our guide. Echoing Frank's advice, Patterson's chicken soup is formed on a foundation of fatty prosciutto.

The meat is combined with aromatics, tomatoes and water to form a stock. Patterson poaches the chicken directly in this flavorful solution, then adds Arborio rice, cranberry beans and kale for an extra-hearty dish for the winter months.

"By cooking everything in the same liquid, you're building layer upon layer of flavor," says Patterson.

Indeed, his recipe (see it here) boasts all the rich indulgence of a risotto, combined with the restorative properties of the dish that inspired it: humble chicken soup.

Look out for the third chicken soup recipe, which will be delivered to your in-box next week.