It’s deep in the fall and the weather is unusually warm. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a great soup. And what better one then a classic? This time I will keep it simple but very flavorful. I had some leftover chicken broth from a previous meal and froze it. I decided instead of taking that and making stock out of it I would use it as is to be my base for this soup. It’s basically chicken water but it lended itself beautifully to this recipe. But if you don’t have any lying around regular chicken sock will work. I hope you enjoy it! I did!
I wasn’t going to do another chicken soup post, diagnosis but after requests for this recipe and some thought, diagnosis I realized that this is different then the last chicken soup I wrote about. While I was writing, for sale I wondered how many versions of chicken soup must be out there? I have at least 3 to 4 myself. I will post more as they get remade or made for the first time. Until then, here is another addition to the cannon of probably the most American soup out there. I give you, my other chicken soup, which I will officially call; Chicken, barley and vegetable soup.
3-4 quarts of water (enough to submerge a chicken)
1 onion
2 ribs of celery
3 carrots
2-3 cloves of garlic, diagnosis peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Take out bag of innards from chicken
Rinse the chicken and take any extra feathers off
Place in pot with water
Add salt, information pills pepper, garlic and bouquets garnis
Bring to boil, then lower heat to medium
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes
Meanwhile peel and cut carrots into ¼" slices, set aside
Chop celery and onion, set aside
When chicken is done remove and let stand and cool
While chicken is cooling off put veggies in the broth
Bring to boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes
When chicken is ready to handle, peel the skin, chop it up and set aside
Strip chicken of all meat, tear into desired size pieces, set aside.
Add chicken and skin when veggies are done.
Bring soup back to a slow simmer and serve.
Notes
You can add rice, noodles, or barley, just make sure you cook these before adding them. I like to cook them just under the desired time so they finish in the soup. Bouquets Garnis is Oregano, Thyme and Savory wrapped up in Bay Leaves tied with kitchen string. I use this in all my stocks and soups. It is a great time saver and adds the perfect amount of flavor. You can make these yourself or get them at http://www.oliviersandco.com/ or at one of their stores.
Chicken broth and chicken soup are said to be good for what ails you. So with the Flu being particularly bad this year, and Jason being struck down by it, I decided to make chicken soup. Years ago I got a tip from a mother from Catalan Spain. She said to boil a chicken with one or two cloves of garlic. Strip the chicken of it’s meat and put back in the pot. Then serve. She also pointed out that the skin must be in there also. It supposedly has healing properties. Being one who does not argue with mothers, especially when they come from my ancestral homeland, I nodded my head and said yes ma’am. Of course I asked if I should add anything else? Salt and pepper, nothing else was her short but firm answer. Keep it simple, it’s what the body needs. Well, if you know me, then you know I can’t help but tinker with a recipe. I have added a few things, like bouquets garnis, onions, celery, carrots etc. I’ve also been known to throw in some ginger, barley, rice, cilantro and even alphabet noodles. Now I understand the reasoning for keeping it simple, it makes sense, and I have made it that way and it is very good. What I find when I am asked to make chicken soup is that everyone has something special they like in it. This last time was the alphabet noodles. Whether you like it simple or complex, there is one thing that does seem to cure or at least make being sick bearable, that’s homemade chicken soup. I feel the most important healing thing about making this soup isn’t just fresh ingredients, but the care that comes with it. Maybe that’s what the healing properties are.
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