For this week’s French Fridays with Dorie, we made a fabulous Vietnamese soup that is perfect for this all-of-a-sudden cold snap we are having. I love all types of noodle soups and lived on them last summer in Laos, but rarely make them from scratch myself. Dorie’s version (pp 98-100) is very accessible and doesn’t take long to make at all. You might not think Spicy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup is very French, but Vietnamese restaurants are all over France, Vietnam being a former French colony. The base of this soup is in the spices… I poached chicken breasts as per the recipe but if you have leftover roasted turkey (ahem, like *some* people….), you could totally shred that into the finished soup. I loved the spice bag – it was so pretty…
And we used the last of our (sweet) peppers from the garden…
This was the perfect soup – tender chicken, a lot of taste and a little kick from the fresh red chiles I added to the finished bowl along with some grated lemongrass and lime zest before I dressed the finished bowl with mint and coriander… But as you can see, it’s perfect with hardly any garnish too!
So far, we’re 3 for 3 with Around My French Table – and I made two more recipes over the weekend that were winners too. LOVING this book 🙂
Want to join in the fun? Join French Fridays with Dorie here and follow along on Twitter.
soup looks so comforting,…
Yes it was perfect for the cooler weather we’ve started to have…
I too love all kinds of chicken soups…This one sounds delish!
Thanks – it’s a winner!
Your soup looks so inviting and I’m delighted that you liked it. And you’re right — it would be easy to put some already-cooked chicken or leftover T-day turkey into the soup.
Thanks for popping in Dorie! I think that after Thanksgiving a lighter but still comforting soup like this is perfect and what better way to use leftover turkey?
This is a clear winner in cold weather… totally. Especially with the spices.
Oh Penny you would love this soup!
What a great combination of the best of all flavors! Spice it up a bit!
Yes all these flavours really worked well!
Mardi is treating me with travel memory dishes this week…mmm, thoughts of Hanoi. (Perfect for their anniversary celebrations this week!)
Am glad it got the Neil seal of approval!
That is beautiful, I love the colors!
Thanks – I love the mint and cilantro too!
I love the idea of using leftover turkey for this soup. Beautiful picture!
Well when you have as much leftover turkey as we did…. 😉
I agree..we are three for three with FFwD.
Am *so* pleased with this book, I can’t tell you!
Love the red! Really pretty…
Thanks so much!
I am not a chicken soup person, but always make an exception for this. Had not idea French love it too. Nice pics!
This is nothing like your grandma’s chicken soup – it’s a little bit of the exotic that ‘s so easy to make!
Your soup has gorgeous flecks of color in it.
Thanks – I love brightening things up with some colour!
Very nice. I was just thinking something like this might be nice for the cool wet weather we are having over here in NH.
Jason
I love spicy Asian soups in weather like this!
That looks wonderful.
Thank you – it was delicious!
As always, a beautiful dish!
Thanks Dawn – I was really pleased with how this came out!
huh, I didn’t know Vietnamese resteraunts were popular in France! You learn something new everyday.
I love most Vietnamese cuisine, especially soups. I think this is one I could attempt, the ingredient list looks doable. 😉
Yes this is totally do-able – we had all the ingredients on hand which was useful!
Beautiful soup, with and without the garnishes on top! I love your bright red chiles. 🙂 I’ve also been very happy with the three recipes we’ve made from the book so far- there are so many more I’m just itching to try!
Yes it’s one of the best books I have read in a while – all the recipes, even the more complex ones, are so easy!
Leftover turkey – I wish I’d thought of that! I love that you used your own peppers, that’s a great way to segue into fall.
It was a perfect way to move into the cooler weather!
Damn, this post makes me itchy to go to France AND Vietnam. Oh, and also Toronto.
Made me want to go to France and Vietnam too!
Oh yeah , it sure was fab, i agree!
I left out the peppers but love the idea of the milder ones!
Yeah the whole book is a winner!!
Yes the mild ones lent some colour without it being overly hot.
I cannot stop raving about the book. And all the recipes so far have been outstanding. I spent a weekend in September visiting my daughter in Berkeley, and we had pho for the first time ever. Now I am beyond excited that Dorie has taught me how to prepare it.
I love your photo.
Greetings from California.
Yes I am so excited about this book too – think it’s on a few people’s lists for Christmas!
This looks such a simple dish Mardi, I love Vietnamese food.., so this one is a must. Thanks for sharing.
Yes it’s surprisingly easy for such complex flavours!
A warm and delightful soup. Yours looks great.
Indeed it is warming and delightful tasting!
Beautifully presented Mardi !!
Thanks – it’s easy with pretty ingredients!
Beautifully done! We all are sick in this house and this will be the perfect remedy (although I might leave out the cilantro as we are a family to whom it tastes like soap). I’m very impressed by the peppers from the garden. I do have garden dreams, I lack the execution and ability.
Thanks!
Thanks Lael – this is the perfect soup to have if you are coming down with something – too bad about the cilantro – that must be hard to cope with as I am sure it’s everywhere! Thanks for stopping by!
That looks like a perfectly warm and comforting soup! Just lovely!
And it’s so easy – bonus!
Looks like a beautiful bowl of soup.
Finally made it and it is pretty tasty. And easy!!
Isn’t it fabulous! Love the flavours and colours!