Sunday, February 21, 2010
Chicken soup for the COLD! What do you have cooking today?
Ty has a terrible cold and his being sick always prompts me to put a pot of homemade chicken soup on the stove. My mother made soup for me when I was sick and its the first thing I want to do when someone I love is feeling puny. If you have never made chicken soup, its easy and the amount of love and comfort given in return for minimal effort is amazing!
My ingredient photo is very clear that this is a recipe with few ingredients, but here is your shopping list.
Grandma's Chicken Soup
One 2 1/2 to 3 pound whole chicken, or 5 whole leg-thighs - I decide based on price
3 large carrots
3 celery stalks
1 large onion, cut into quarters
2 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
1/2 small bunch parsley
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base, or four chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup Uncle Bens brand rice - this brand if parboiled and it keeps its firmness in soups- substitute if you wish
Get out the big pot that came with your cookware set. The one you only use occasionally. Rinse it out and fill it about two-thirds full with water. Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, chicken base, salt, and parsley. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 3 hours, until rich and flavorful.
Using a large slotted spoon or kitchen tongs, remove as much of the chicken, and whole vegetables as possible to a large bowl. Strain stock through a wire strainer into a smaller pot. If you dont have another pot, strain into a large bowl and transfer back to the original pot. Using your soup ladle, scoop off and discard as much of the chicken fat as possible.
Slice the cooked carrots and add to the pot. When cool, remove the chicken from the bones, shred and add to the soup. I usually divide and use half for soup, and the rest for chicken salad. Soup can be prepared to this point in advance and chilled.
Bring soup to a boil, add rice, lower heat, and cook until rice is tender.
posted by Susan Maria of BariatricEating.com @ 11:55 AM
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