Make Three Sisters soup with corn, beans and squash, the companion crops of an Indigenous North American agricultural tradition. Explore the cultural context, ingredient balance and a chicken-broth variation.
Rinse the chicken bones and place them in a stock pot with cold water. Bring to a boil, then skim off foam and scum. Add carrot, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat and for 30 minutes.
Discard any excess fat and strain the . Set aside.
Heat the reserved chicken skin and fat with 1 cup water in a separate pot for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove and discard the cooked chicken skin. Add corn, beans, squash, bay leaves, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and oregano to the vegetables.
Strain the chicken over the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves. Puree the soup coarsely using a hand blender, leaving some texture.
with dried fruit like cranberries or raisins and serve hot with Bannock bread.
This recipe connects to Soups Making 101 — learn the technique step by step in the video lessons.
The secret to a silky soup like this one is patience at the blending stage — take your time and pass it through a fine sieve if you want a truly professional finish. If you'd like to go deeper, Soups Making 101 covers this in full.
If you'd ever like hands-on guidance for your own kitchen or restaurant, I also offer 1-on-1 coaching through OCS, or you can reach me directly for consulting at 911ChefEric.com.
Recipes come out right when you understand the method. Chef Eric’s courses teach the foundations step by step — knife skills, stocks, soups and classic French technique — with video lessons and short quizzes. Not sure where to start? OCRS™ will build your roadmap in five questions.
