Chicken soup is one of the easiest things to make. You take your chicken, you take your water, add the rest of the ingredients, simmer, and - voila! Soup! What you add is completely up to you, and is only limited by what you have on hand. Although I would hesitate to advocate the addition of asparagus or Brussel sprouts. I can't see how either of those would be a good thing.
A few months ago, I experimented with different ingredients for a two weekends in a row. Neither was a smashing success, so I hesitate to mention them, except to say that sweet potatoes are a bitch to peel, and by the time they're FINALLY cooked, everything else is soggy. Oh well. Since then, I've been reluctant to try any more variations. That, and it was summer, and thus too hot to make soup.
But yesterday was damp and chilly, perfect weather for a nice hot bowl of soup. Both temperature-wise, and, as it turns out, flavour-wise.
Start with:
- 2-3 tbsp oil - I didn't measure this, so it's really just a guesstimate
- 2 nobs of ginger, peeled and thinly-sliced - take a ginger root, and break off two medium-sized nobs, peel them, and slice them. Don't grate them or chop them finely
- 2 cloves garlic - normally, I only use one, but I upped the number this time
- 1/2 tbsp dried chilies - okay, here's where I went seriously wrong (or right, depending on your taste). That was waaaaaaay more than I actually needed; I think 1 tsp would have been wiser
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five-Spice - again, I eyeballed this, so it's not exact. Basically, I used the end of the tablespoon, dipped it in the jar, and dumped the little pile on the spoon into the pot. (I'm not sure what five spices make up Chinese Five-Spice, but I'm certain there's cardamom in it. Possibly cinnamon. Maybe anise.)
- 1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
Put this all in a pot over medium heat and cook until the chicken is browned. Try not to burn the garlic, okay? Because burned garlic smells awful.
Add:
- 8 cups water - too much. Use 6 instead (do as I say, not as I do - I make these mistakes so you will learn from them!)
- 3 medium potatoes, cut into cubes - again, learn from my mistakes: I used two medium and one gianormous potato, and it was about half a potato too many.
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery - you can use more, but I don't really like it, so I don't use that much. It's basically just crunchy water, and you burn more calories eating it than are actually in it. That's just whack, people!
- two leeks, thinly sliced - I used some of the green parts, but not too much.
- 2 cups frozen corn - I like corn. I put it in a lot of things.
Throw that into the pot, stir, and let simmer until the potatoes are cooked to your satisfaction, however long that takes.
Let me warn you, though - I love spicy, hot food, but the tears were rolling down my face as I ate this last night (and even today at lunch).
