Silver Ears with Chicken Velvet Soup

This is a very successful dinner party soup. Pretty to look at, harmonious in flavour, it can also be prepared ahead of time, to be slowly reheated at the appropriate moment. The reheating will not spoil the chicken velvet, though the silver ears will become pleasantly more glutinous in texture the longer they soak in the soup. At my own dinner parties I have had huge success with this soup, when many a guest has asked for seconds, if not thirds!