By March 2020 approaches. I have heard nothing from the fellowship yet. Dr. Ochoa says this is normal and that decisions come in mid-March and I believe her and I am also checking my email with a frequency I would not advertise. I have been baking a lot in this waiting period, which is what I do: when I cannot control the large thing I control the small things and the smallest controllable thing is what I make in my kitchen.
Made croissants again this weekend, third attempt. The lamination was better than the second attempt. The layers visible when I sliced them, each one distinct, the dough airy and flaky. The taste was right: buttery and rich and slightly sour from the slow cold rise. They were not the Platonic ideal of croissant but they were mine and they were very good. Priya filmed one of them on her phone. She said: for documentation. I said: that seems right. The croissants deserve documentation.
Sunday at Gloria was quiet and warm. James has been in better health this month than last month and he was more talkative, which is how I measure his wellness: the number of stories he tells. He told three this Sunday. That is a good day.
Gloria and I made the chicken and dumplings together and she let me do the dumplings entirely alone while she watched and I dropped them into the broth by the spoonful and they came out light and right and she said: yes. That single yes that means the thing is exactly what it should be.
The chicken and dumplings I made with Gloria that Sunday kept coming back to me all week — specifically that moment of dropping the dumplings in by the spoonful, watching them cook up light and right, and hearing her single quiet yes. Rivel soup lives in that same spirit: small pieces of egg-and-flour dough dropped into hot broth, nothing fussy, nothing showy, just the kind of humble, steadying food that tells you everything is exactly as it should be. When the big things are out of your hands, this is the soup you make.
Rivel Soup
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring broth to a simmer. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add butter and stir until melted.
- Make the rivels. In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the beaten egg and mix with a fork, rubbing the mixture between your fingers until it forms small, pea-sized crumbles — these are the rivels. Do not overwork; the irregular texture is correct.
- Drop in the rivels. With the broth at a steady simmer, drop the rivels in by the handful, stirring gently once to separate any clumps. They will swell slightly and turn opaque as they cook.
- Simmer until cooked through. Cook for 8—10 minutes, until the rivels are tender but not mushy. If using cooked chicken, stir it in now and heat through for 2 minutes.
- Season and serve. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust as needed, and ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 780mg