… I have been gripped by a nasty dose of old-fashioned cold… not the ‘man-flu’ stay in bed, can’t move kind of affliction, more a blocked nose, sore throat, painful sneezing kind of cold… I’m happily going about my business spreading disease wherever I choose… so don’t feel sorry for me… it’s just rather annoying and i am beginning to feel a little fed up… what I need for my old-fashioned cold is a dose of good old-fashioned jewish penicillin… or chicken soup to give it its formal name…
… back in the old days a ‘boiler’ chicken would have been purchased from the kosher butcher and the giant pan taken down from the cupboard and the long slow process of making heaven in a bowl would have taken place… much skimming of fat would have happened and knadels would have been made to float like fluffy succulent clouds on top of the golden liquor…
… this is not that… this is the quick fire version, made for those on the run or too poorly to be bothered… but give it long enough on the hob and I promise you, if not an instant cure then a definite lift of spirits…
Quick Fire Chicken Soup
i’ve put a dash of white wine in the soup plus half a lemon to really add a little vitamin c zing… eliminate or include at your own whim…
2 chicken breasts – chopped into large chunks
1/2 a medium onion – roughly chopped
1 celery stalk – roughly chopped
1 medium carrot – roughly chopped
1/2 small leek – roughly chopped
about 10 whole black pepper corns
1/2 a lemon – roughly chopped
2 pints water or vegetable stock
a splash of white wine
a bay leaf and some rosemary
– put it all in the pan, add the stock or water and bring to the boil
– turn the heat down and let it simmer gently for as long as you’ve got… a least an hour if not two. (ok, so this bit is not so quick-fire but getting the ingredients into the pan should take you less than 60 seconds…)
put Fiddler on the Roof or Yentl on the DVD player, sit back, relax, eat and of course, enjoy!
Oh my, two boiler chicken posts in one day lol! Evelyn Rose would be proud of you and your soup. I was going to say that you are welcome to come round for dinner anytime but not if you have the cold, thanks very much! Seriously, let me know when you are next coming to Ediburgh and we'll see what we can do!
Having spent a good percentage of the day coughing and sneezing, I could just do with a bowl of this. I think I'll pass on the Fiddler and Yentl option, though – I was thinking more along the lines of gin and 'Love and Death'.
Love the idea of the lemon in there – really freshen the whole thing up, but I have to ask … chicken breast??? not thighs????
Feel better soon.
Oh get well soon Dom…this should have you soon back on form… if not star anise in a hot lemon and honey drink works really well too, apparently it's one of the natural ingredients in Tamiflu…
Maybe two times in my life I indulged in what I believe to be the ultimate cold cure. The day it became full-blown I simple went to bed for 24 hours. Within 48 hours after that I was well. Having that day at just the right time is the tricky part.
We need this asap in our house…we have three sickies. The lemon sounds perfect.
There is nothing quite like this to blast away the germs…..hope it does the trick for you x
Bet it tasted, and did you, good.
But thighs would have been better… it's all in the bones! Well actually the feet would have really made the difference!
Hope you're soon on the mend
Celia
Love a good chicken soup – bet you feel better now.
Hope your soup worked. You can make a really good flavored chicken soup with the carcas left from a roast chicken (+ any other left over pieces)simmer in stock (veg or chicken) with a whole onion skin left on & sliced carrots & celery + s & p for about 1 hour.To serve throw away the onion & carcas.
LoL Mummyx
I'm surprised that you've not included a large amount of garlic, which is supposed to be anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Is there a reason why you've left it out of this otherwise perfect ingredient list?
GET WELL soon Dom and if that soup doesn't do the trick, try a LARGE hot toddy!
LOVE soup and that is a keeper……and medicinal too!
Karen
I hope you're feeling much better now Dom. Nothing like a great chicken soup for a flu day. I am allergic to penicillin, but definitely not this kind! Rest well.
lol.. I love that you are spreading your cold freely about!! That's what a person with a cold is supposed to do!!
This soup sounds perfect for any cold day..but especially when you have a real cold!
Blogger just ate my comment, here goes :-((
Looks perfect Dom!!
Did you know fiddler is my bestest favouritest film of all eternity?!?!
I know all the lines off by heart! ;-))
Feel better soon Dom!
Xx
Hate the idea of a cold during holiday time! Feel better friend! Now about those matzo balls … wouldn't they be a nice add-on?
Aren't the simple things always the tastiest?
nom nom nothing like good soup! thats how impt having a good stock on standby is!
oooh I do love Chicken soup. Perfect for this weather. Hope you are better x