A comforting bowl of Quick Minestrone With Chicken makes an appetising starter soup or light, satisfying main course. - LIFESTYLE MEDIA GROUP/Distributed By Universal Press Syndicate AS AN antidote for colds and flu, depression, upset stomachs, cramps, political unrest, bad report cards, allergies, bronchitis, arthritis, and hangnails, a bowlful of steaming hot chicken soup is cherished in almost every part of the world.
Chicken broth, whether you make it from scratch or pour it from a can, is the start of something good, especially when you want quick, nourishing homemade soup. From Italian minestrone to Mexico pozole, Welsh potato-leek or chicken with dumplings, chicken broth can jump-start a variety of flavourful, comforting soups for lunch or supper. The ones below all call for simple ingredients you probably already have on hand in the pantry and refrigerator.
Quick Minestrone with Chicken
Noodles or other pasta, or different vegetables, can be substituted for the ones listed here. The cooking time is minimal: Simmer the soup just until the vegetables and pasta are done to taste. Cooking the vegetables and pasta in the broth instead of water makes the soup extra flavourful.
6 cups defatted chicken broth (canned, or make your own using the leftovers from roasted chicken)
1 carrot, cut in 1/8-inch slices
1 onion, cut in 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup dried small pasta (orzo or
macaroni)
1 small zucchini (substitute pump
kin), cut in 1/4-inch cubes
1 large tomato, cut in 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut in
1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup minced parsley
2 tbsps. tomato paste
Salt and black pepper
METHOD
1. In a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth to a gentle boil. Add carrot, onion and pasta. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables and pasta are just tender (about 10 minutes).
2. Add zucchini, tomato and chicken. Cover and cook until zucchini is tender (about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in parsley and tomato paste; stir to blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls for serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Quick Chicken Pozole
This streamlined version of a favourite Mexican soup substitutes quick-cooking chicken and canned hominy for the traditional pork and dried hominy.
6 cups defatted chicken broth
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (29 ozs.) whole hominy,
drained
1 cup cubed raw chicken
Salt and black pepper
Garnishes: 1 cup thinly sliced radishes; 1 avocado pear, sliced in thin wedges; 2 limes, cut in wedges; 1 cup shredded lettuce
METHOD
1. In 4-quart saucepan bring broth to a boil. Add onion and garlic; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until onion and garlic are soft (about 7 minutes).
2. Add hominy; heat through. Add chicken; simmer until just tender (about 7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle soup into warmed bowls; serve with a tray of garnishes, each in its own small bowl.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Quick Potato-Leek Soup
Pureeing the leeks and potatoes makes a velvety-textured soup. For a thinner soup, add more broth or milk. Yellow onion can be substituted for leek.
4 medium leeks (white portion only),
roots trimmed
2 tbsps. butter or vegetable oil
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled
and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
6 cups defatted chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half or milk
Salt and white pepper
METHOD
1. Slit leeks; wash thoroughly. Drain well, pat dry, and chop coarsely.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks; saute until translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low; add potatoes and cook until nearly tender (about 15 minutes).
3. Pour in chicken stock; simmer, covered, over medium-low heat, until potatoes are fully tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat; cool.
4. Puree mixture in blender or food processor. Return to pot, add half-and-half for milk; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Quick Chicken Soup
with Dumplings
For light, tender dumplings, use cake flour and do not lift the lid until the end of the 10-minute steaming period.
1 cup cake flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk
8 cups defatted chicken broth
3 small carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, diced (substitute pak
choy)
1 large onion, finely chopped
METHOD
1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine egg and milk. Make a well in centre of flour; pour egg-milk mixture into well and stir until well-combined. Set aside.
2. In a large lidded pot, bring broth to a boil. Add carrots, celery and onion; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Drop tablespoons of the dumpling batter into simmering soup. Cover with tight-fitting lid; simmer for 10 minutes without lifting lid. Serve at once, including some of the dumplings and vegetables in each bowlful.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Chicken Broth
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced into medium pieces
4 lbs. chicken back or bones, cut into small pieces or about 3 lbs. chicken legs (remove fat and cut into pieces)
1 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium to high heat. Add onion and chicken pieces and sauté until the chicken is no longer pink (about 7 minutes).
2. Lower heat. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
3. Turn up the heat, add about 9 cups of water, salt and bay leaves. As soon as water starts simmering, again lower the heat to low. Cover and simmer until broth is rich and flavourful 20 to 30 minutes.
Strain and discard solids. Broth is ready to use. Or cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze.
Yield: About 9 cups
SUCCESS TIP
To defat canned chicken broth, place the unopened can in the refrigerator for several hours. When the can is chilled, remove the lid, lift off and discard the congealed fat. To remove any remaining particles of fat, pour chilled broth through a fine sieve.
Use the same method to defat homemade chicken broth.
Soup's on
Known as nature's antibiotic, chicken soup is the ultimate food for the soul. The warming vapours and home-cooked taste ensure a cosy, comforting experience, and its health-giving properties are slowly being acknowledged by the medical community (although Jewish grandmothers will tell you that they've known it for years).
The first chicken soup was reportedly made in poor communities in Russia where, for centuries, poultry was the only affordable meat.
Many families used the whole bird to prepare a three-course traditional meal, starting with chopped liver, followed by a broth-like soup and finishing with the rest of the fowl for an entree.
Experiment with the flavour of your chicken soup by using a variety of ingredients fresh corn, asparagus, and a hint of soy sauce, or a hearty soup thick with noodles, plump chick-peas, black olives, chunks of tender dark meat, garlic, and rosemary.
GOOD FOR THE SOUL
Considered by some the elixir of life, chicken soup has even become an antidote for what ails the soul a way to create and live the life you want.
More than a decade ago, the publishing phenomenon that has become the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books was little more than an idea and a well-worn proposal that 140 publishers had rejected as 'unsellable'. Yet the aspiring authors (Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen) remained undaunted, and continued combining their passion with their 10 principles for 'living their dream'. Today, their book series includes more than 80 titles, in 39 languages, that have touched the hearts and minds of 90 million readers worldwide.
The Chicken Soup for the Soul series include strategies to help readers create the life they want, whether it's attaining financial freedom, enjoying more fulfilling relationships, spending more leisure time with family or living a healthier lifestyle.
