Boomer Recipes
Papa’s Chicken Soup
Good soup for the soul and the tummy
I wouldn’t call myself a chef, or even a good cook, but sometimes a man has to step up to the plate and try something that’s a little outside the old wheelhouse.
My dear wife, an artistic preparer of all things cuisine, recently found herself out of commission while recovering from an operation. That put me in the position of chief cook and bottle washer.
Yeah I can do grilled cheese, and burgers, but I wanted to make something more on the order of good healthy food. And there’s nothing healthier than good ol’ fashioned chicken soup, right? So I’ll get right to it.
Ingredient Prep
Rotisserie chicken — Rotisserie chicken is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I thought of buying a whole chicken, but the rotisserie chicks were the same price where I live. They come pre-seasoned, and ready to prep. I used one from the local grocery store. You can probably get them hot or cold, but the cold ones are easier to de-bone. Just pull the meat off and get rid of the bones unless you want to make stock, but that’s another story. Depending on the size of the bird, you may want to freeze half for the next adventure, but for now just set it aside.
Next, place a teaspoon of olive oil into a large pot and start cutting up the vegetables and tossing them into the pot as we go.
Celery — Don’t waste your money on those packages that have been washed and trimmed. Get fresh stalks with the leaves still on. Don’t forget to wash them, though, in cold water and trim off anything that’s still dirty. Keep those leaves. They are full of nutrients and they taste good too. I used three stalks, chopped into quarter to half inch pieces.
Carrots — Same with carrots. Get the fresh ones, wash them yourself and chop them up about the same size. I tried shaving them with a vegetable peeler, but don’t bother, they’ll be fine, once cooked.
Onions — Oh, I love onions! I used three medium size sweet onions, but white onions, or Spanish onions will work just fine too. I cut them in half, from top to bottom, then peel off the outer layer. Lay them on the flat side and just chop them anyway you want. They will cook down to almost nothing, so size doesn’t matter much.
Cauliflower — I don’t think cauliflower is a traditional ingredient in chicken soup, but (IMHO) it adds flavor, texture, and lots of nutrition to the dish. You can skip it if you want but I think it’s worth the trouble. Start by pulling off any leaves and cleaning whatever dirt that was hiding there. I use about half of a six inch head separated into florets, stalks and leaves, rough chopped. Yeah, use it all. Good stuff!
Once the veggies are all in, put the pot on the stove, turn the burner on and give them a stir. Keep stirring once in a while and let them sweat, but don’t get preoccupied and let them burn. Mama didn’t appreciate the smoke or the black flakes.
Chicken stock — I use the unsalted kind, then add salt later to suit our tastes. Once the veggies are softly steaming away, add a quart of the stock, plus some water to cover. Then add the chicken and some more water (or stock if you want) until everything is well covered. Remember, it’s soup, not stew.
Place a vented lid on the pot and turn up the burner.
Seasoning
As the pot is coming up to heat, you can start adding in some flavor.
Garlic — Three or four cloves of garlic will usually do the trick. Separate the cloves, then one at a time, place the flat side of a chef’s knife on top and give it a good whack with the heel of your hand. This will flatten the clove and separate the skin from the meat. Discard the skin and lightly chop the soft, aromatic flesh. Add it to the pot.
Herbs de Provence — I use a heaping teaspoon of this traditional French seasoning. It’s perfect for the fledgling chef such as myself. Every kitchen should have some in stock, but in case you have to DIY, it includes thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf. Even when I have the blend, I still add a couple more bay leaves to the pot.
Salt and pepper — These are necessary ingredients, and can be adjusted to suit your personal tastes. Just be careful. Too much salt will spoil the whole pot. Remember the rotisserie chicken is already seasoned, so it will have some salt in it. A good starting point is a teaspoon. Wait until the soup has been cooking for a while and taste a spoonful, adding salt if necessary, stirring, and tasting again until you have it just right. Pepper is more forgiving. I always apply it generously. A teaspoon to a tablespoon in the pot should be enough. You can always add more at the table.
Cooking
Bring the pot to a full boil, then reduce the heat until it’s bubbling. Using the big burner on my gas range, the 2 to 3 setting is just right. Let it cook for at least 45 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Give it a stir about once every fifteen minutes.
ENJOY!
