Chicken Noodle Soup (Heina Zup)

I have been wanting to make this for ages. My previous attempts had always been rather bland and I have quizzed a lot of people about their secrets. Most of the time it is the stock --- they use a commercial stock powder --- I find that disappointing. I wanted to see how I would do without the commercial stuff first. I used a plain Costco chicken but next time, I'll get a real one. I think that would make a huge difference. A lot of recipes call for a stewing hen but I have found they taste awful. I really think you have to get a farm chicken.

Another intriguing aspect of chicken soup is the different spices and herbs that are used by different cultures. The Mennonite tradition is to use peppercorns, star anise and parsley. Apparently the Mennonites were wealthy when they lived in East Prussia and could afford spices imported from China (where star anise comes from). The Russians and Ukrainians do not use star anise in anything. Peter assures me that the Jewish people do not use star anise either.

Loris' mother Helen Loewen used whole allspice, so I just had to try that.

The Jewish traditional recipe calls for garlic and dill, as well as carrot, parsnip, celery and onion, and matzoh balls. The dill and garlic schmeck in my imagination, but I find the celery a little hard to imagine on the steppes of Russia, but those who know me know my suspicions about celery. Ukrainians use garlic, potato, tomato, onion, celery root, and carrots.

To be authentic about a traditional recipe, you have to use the right ingredients and herbs and spices. If you change it, then it's not Salade Nicoise as Julia Child said. That is why I avoid making every soup into the same vegetable soup. You want to appreciate the special ingredients for any particular recipe, so my credo is to put the least number of ingredients possible into every recipe. That being said, my recipe is a cross breed of Mennonitisch and Jewish.

Speaking of Julia, did you notice that she cooked everything on her show on a regular little electric stove --- I agree with that --- a real cook can cook anything on an electric stove. I see no reason to spend a fortune on a huge monsterous stainless steel thing that's hard to clean, when I have a perfectly good white electric in the kitchen. 

Of course, I have hoarded the homemade noodles that Loris and I made last summer just for this soup. The key to noodle soup is the noodles -- of course. You can use store bought dried ones or make your own. One of the Mennonite traditions is that chicken noodle soup is supposed to have really fine noodles.

You need a largish spice ball to put the spices in with or you can tie the herbs and spices into a small piece of cloth.

A few health notes --- chicken fat is very healthy for you, so don't skim it off. If you have a cold, try chicken soup. It clears the congestion and makes the fluids in your body flow.

Chicken Noodle Soup (Heina Zup)

Ingredients:

6 quarts water

5 pound chicken

10 - 1 Tbsp. peppercorns

3 whole allspice

1 whole star anise

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2 tsp. kosher or sea salt

Parsley, fresh

Dill, fresh

Noodles, commercial or homemade egg noodles (see Noodling)

Instructions:

Wash the chicken and put it into a large soup pot. Fill with water to 3/4 full.

Put the peppercorns, allspice, star anise and garlic into the spice ball and put it into the pot.

Simmer the chicken for about 2 hours, until the meat is falling off the bones.

Take the chicken out and put on a plate. Remove and discard the skin and bones, taking care to find all the little bits of bone and connective tissue. Cut the chicken meat into small pieces and put it back into the pot.

Remove the spice ball and discard contents.

Taste the broth and add salt if necessary.

Chop parsley and dill and add to the pot and simmer.  

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a separate pot. 

Drain the noodles, put them in a large bowl, immediately add butter and stir. The butter will keep the noodles from sticking.

Put some noodles into each bowl, and ladle broth and chicken over the noodles.

Serve with homemade brown bread and homemade butter.

Notes:

Cousin Betty uses an onion and bay leaf (in the spce ball) when making the stock.  I am definitely going to try that next time, and maybe try it without the garlic.  

Related Posts: 
Homemade Butter
Noodling

Perfect Kneadless Bread

More Black Food

Since writing the Raspberries --- Eat Black Food Every day post, I've cooked and eaten black sesame seeds (toasted and added to sauted kale), black string beans, and black cabbage (kale).

Basic Cooking Skills

This post is for beginners, non-cooks, and those seeking to improve their eating habits drastically, save time and money, and eat really delicious meals.

Basic fall back system:
1) Eat all foods and all food groups. Learn to like and love all foods.
2) Eat highly nutritious foods only.
3) Eat mostly fresh whole food, especially fruit and vegetables. Don't peel anything if the peel can be eaten. The cost savings from not throwing out so much food  will more than exceed the cost of fresh produce.
4) Cook at home.  Make only enough for one meal.  
5) No chocolate, ice cream, candy, cookies, cake, pie, pastry, or other sweet snacks and desserts.  No chips, popcorn, or salty snack foods.   This will largely eliminate your cravings within 24 hours.   I do have a pastry once in a while, but always out and always from a really great bakery.   Because I have eliminated cravings, I often look at the baked goods but often don't really want to eat them.  
6) No pasta, grains, or rice.   Whole grains, brown rice, etc. are not much better so don't bother.  Avoiding them is best, but eat very small portions otherwise.  
7) No french fries, burgers, milk shakes, french fries, or pizza.
8) No juice, pop or diet pop.  Drink water, black coffee or tea without sugar or cream.
9) Absolutely no junk food, processed food, frozen food, canned or packaged food, fast food, chain restaurants, take-out, or delivered food.
10) Use spices, fresh herbs, fresh lemon, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, salt, pepper, butter, and oil to flavour your foods.  
11) Eat 3 regular meals a day.   No skipping and no snacking.  
12) Make simple foods, with a minimum of ingredients and steps.   Aim for a basic easy meals, to fall back on when you are rushed or tired.
13) No alcohol except in social situations.   One drink only -- beer or wine or unmixed aperitif or digestif (no high calorie mixed cocktails).
14) No sugar substitutes, low-fat, or calorie reduced, diet anything.  No frozen diet meals.
15) Remove all banned food from the pantry, frig, car, etc.
16) Eat out only on social occasions, and choose a restaurant that serves healthy food and small portions.   The cost will easily be less than all the junk food you have been eating.   When you do eat out, just eat the normal menu, but don't allow french fries or other deep fried items to be put on your plate (if you cannot avoid such restaurants).   I often order a salad and fish and a glass of wine without referring to the menu.  
17) Avoid all special diets, and do not expect friends or restaurants to cater to you.   Your special needs and dislikes should be your secret.  Just eat what is served and be grateful. 
18) Do not buy fake food because that's all your husband or kids or family will eat or because it's a holiday.   I promise the world will not fall apart and the kids won't starve.   It is absolutely not excusable to feed this to your family or allow them to eat it.   No ridiculous rationalizations like there are vegetables on pizza.   Set an example, then don't even discuss any possibility of other choices.   Do not train your kids to like junk foods or fast food. 
19) Eat the fat on your meat, the skin on your chicken and fish, and buy full fat dairy products (but don't buy breaded or battered products and avoid cold cuts and sausages).   This will ensure you do not have cravings for starches and sweets.
20) Organic is better, marginally.   Just eliminating processed food and eating fresh fruit and vegetables will provide 99% of the benefits.   There are natural anti-carcinogens in fruits and vegetables.   There are also anti-inflammatories, analgesics, and anti-bacterials in them.   No need to take aspirin, pro-biotics, vitamin supplements, protein powder, or herbal supplements.  Grass-fed meat and eggs are definitely worthwhile as they have the proper balance of omegas and taste so much better.
21) Eat fresh wild salmon as often as possible.
22) Do not buy flavoured foods (water, cheese, coffee, yogurt, cereal).  Add your own fresh flavourings.
23) Eat local and seasonal.
24) Be wary of oils, as they are often not pure, and sometimes contaminated.  No matter how much you pay or where you get them, once they leave the farm, you have no idea what they are mixed with and bottled.  Butter seems a better bet.  Also probably nuts and avocados.  


Fresh food:
- salad greens, lettuces, spinach, arugula, kale, etc.
- root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, onions, beets)
- assortment of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, )
- other vegetables (green beans, squash, peas, mushrooms, asparagus, avocado, etc.)
- assortment of fruits, including citrus fruits and berries
- garlic, ginger
- flat leaf parsley, green onions, other fresh herbs
- lemons, limes (fresh)
- grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, pork, wild fish (can be frozen)
- eggs, whole milk, butter, and cheese
- plain whole fat yogurt (or make your own)
- whole grain bread (or make your own)

Pantry/freezer:
- oatmeal (for porridge and granola)
- butter
- berries and other fruit (frozen by you in summer)
- herbs (dried by you in summer)
- olive oil (EVOO) 
- maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- spices, whole

Harry's Curried Potatoes

Harry likes Indian people and Indian food, but doesn't think he'd like India, at least not as much as Joan and I love it.

Harry's ubiquitous ingredient is heavy cream, and it does add a lovely tang.  He knows just how to add it to everything.

As for the curry mixture, it was a special one made by an Indian cook, so I can't provide the recipe. Every Indian cook has their own recipe and they can be quite different.  I have a curry recipe on this blog if you need a place to start.  Just make sure you buy whole spices and grind them yourself.

Here goes with his curried potatoes.

Ingredients:

Oil
Curry spice mixture
Potatoes
Broccoli
Onion
Mushrooms
Cream

Instructions:

Cut all the vegetables into 1 inch pieces.

Heat oil in a pan.

Put in half the curry spice, and cook in the oil for a minute, stirring so it won't burn.

Add all the vegetables.  Add the rest of the curry spice.  Add cream.

Turn down heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft.  Serve.

Broccolini with Garlic and Lemon

One of my favourite vegetables is broccolini --- so much better than broccoli and not as bitter as rapini.  

Timing is everything and all the steps have to be followed exactly.  There is no room for my usual casual cooking methods.  

The crucial parts of the recipe are the cooking times and the ice water bath, so you need to have everything ready, use a timer and not get distracted.  You can't use too much butter and garlic, but don't overdo the lemon juice.  Make this when everything else is ready, table set, wine poured, etc.  Honestly, get all your tools out and ready.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccolini (or more for more people)

water

salt

ice cubes

butter 1-2 T.

fresh lemon juice and zest

fresh garlic, 2 cloves

Instructions:

Fill a large pot with fresh cold water (let the tap run), add 1 T. of salt, and bring it to a boil.  This can be done ahead by 10 minutes or so and brought to a boil again when you are ready.

Prepare a large bowl of ice water (yes, you will need lots of ice cubes).

Chop garlic quite fine, but don't grate or mash.  Zest the lemon with a grater or lemon zester.  Then cut the lemon in half.  Set the garlic, lemon aside.  

Add the broccolini to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes without a lid, no longer!  Take it out of the water immediately with tongs and plunge into the bowl of ice water to stop them cooking immediately.  Do not delay.  

While the broccolini is cooling, melt butter in a frying or saute pan on low medium.  Add garlic and lemon to the pan. 

Drain the broccolini and add to the frying pan for 2 minutes to heat. 

Add lemon juice (half of the lemon should do it).  Add salt and pepper.  Toss and serve on a platter.

Westham Island Braised Leeks with Chicken

I drove out to my favourite farm on Sunday --- Westham Island Herb Farm, where famer Sharon Ellis was holding Spuddy Saturday (in honour of Island Ambers, the best potatoes in the world).

There is no more beautiful place on a slightly misty day, with farm land on the edge of the Pacific, light glinting on the yellow stubble, amber pumpkins, and wine red blueberry canes, throwing the low skyline of trees and buildings into pale grey.  Ate fresh apple fritters and cider, and brought home a trunk full of Island Ambers, assorted squash, farm raised pork and beef, onions, apples, and more.

I bought  8 lovely leeks.  I wanted to cook the leeks when were fresh from the garden for maximum taste.  

I was lazy and was thinking simple, even simpler than soup.  Chicken stock was used in the recipe I followed for inspiration, but I decided to get the chicken flavour from the actual chicken meat, bones, and skin (fat).

Ingredients:

4-8 1-inch dia. leeks (for one person as main dish)

1-3 T. butter

thyme (dried or fresh)

chicken thighs with bone and skin (2 per person)

Instructions:

Sauté the chicken thighs skin side down in a bit of oil for 10 minutes until the skin is crisp, turn and saute the other side for a few minutes.  Set aside.  Retain the chicken fat and drippings in the pan. 

While the chicken is browning, trim most of the roots off the end of the leeks, leaving enough so that the leek remains attached at the bottom. Cut each leek  into half lengthwise and then cut each half into inch long pieces. Soak leeks in a large bowl of cool water to allow any dirt to settle to the bottom.  Drain and set aside.

1. In the same sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks to the skillet. Sauté the leeks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut each chicken thigh into 3 pieces.
3. Add chicken, dried thyme, salt, pepper, to the pan and reduce heat to medium low.  I used dried thyme beause I have very good brand (Nature's Choice).  Fresh thympe would work too.  I like to use lots (at least 1 tsp.).  1/2 tsp. salt and 4 grinds of pepper should be enough to start.
4. Braise (this means add liquid to browned food and turn down the heat) the leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender.   I didn't have to add any liquid as there was enough.  Add a 1/4 cup water if needed.
5. When the leeks are very well cooked and chicken is cooked, serve.
6. 
   

Tequila Commando Style

This is the drink of the summer at Lake Riviera.

Ingredients:

bottle of Sauza Hornitas tequila
1/4 or 1/2 lime


Instructions:

Pour tequila over ice in an old fashioned glass.
Squeeze lime over it.