I was sick last week. I am pretty sure it was from going to the optometrist. The optometrist is in the same building as internal medicine. I am usually very healthy until I come into contact with a new environment. If a new hire came into the office and they caught something I fell over like 9-pins. So I am pretty sure I came in contact with someone that was contagious. The first day I had a sleeve of water crackers and water. I know I sound pitiful, but it is all good now thanks to chicken soup.
I lay on the couch, too feverish to do much more. I watched all the Sunday political shows, but finally had to turn it on something else – I was getting sicker. I am all captivated by British television shows. I turned on PBS to watch reruns of Breathless. I had watched it before, but there are so many characters with so many issues, I had a problem keeping up with the characters, so it was good to see it again to acquaint myself with the characters. It is well written, but it is full of people with huge character flaws. I am waiting for one redeeming quality – there has to be a good guy in there somewhere. It is a show about the doctors at teaching hospital in the sixties; how women were treated, both socially and medically and lots of drama. All the doctors smoke and drink. All the women smoke, and drink. And everyone is cheating on everyone. One of the wives husband is cheating on her; her doctor prescribes her librium and premarin and tells her she will be good as new. Did I say the music is wonderful? For my evening meal I had a piece of toast.
By the next day I wanted something more, but what? Soup. I needed some chicken soup. I remembered I had made some chicken stock a few weeks ago. Previously I had made the stock from the bony pieces of chicken that I had saved, and the carcass of a couple rotisserie chickens. I froze them in the freezer until I had enough for stock. In a large pot, I rough chopped an onion, a couple stalks of celery, and a carrot. Dropped in to the pot with just enough water to cover the bones. I brought it to boil, reduced to simmer Do not stir – it will make your stock cloudy. Skim off any floating impurities. I think it simmered for about forty-five minutes. I turned off the stock and let the heat just steep the stock. When it cooled, I strained it, and then placed it in containers. I was so grateful I had this in the freezer.
Could I make soup? I small-diced up some shallots, celery, and a large carrot. Tossed it in the pot to sauté. I poured in stock and brought it to boil, then reduced to simmer. I was pretty weak by now so I tossed in a couple handful of squiggly pasta – stirred, put the lid back on, turned the heat off and went back to the couch.
When I had regained my strength I went back to the pot. It was still warm. I tasted it and it tasted like ambrosia; savory ambrosia. I ate a half bowl.
That worked well so I ate a little more.
I woke up the next day feeling fine. I was still a little wobbly, but I had chicken soup for breakfast. I am well. I can’t believe all the chicken carcasses I have tossed out. I could have been making stock – for almost free.
I hope you will understand and forgive this post that is short on photos. Oh, and a little advise. Make chicken stock. Stay out of places that have sick people. And, be glad it is no longer the sixties.
- For the Stock:
- Boney chicken parts and carcasses rotisserie chicken
- 1 – onion cut in half
- 2 - stalks of celery
- For the Soup
- 1 - onion or 2 shallots
- 1 - small dice carrot
- 1 - stalk of small dice celery
- 4 - cups of stock
- a handful of dry pasta or rice
- salt and pepper to taste
- Simmer 45 minutes.
- Turn off the heat to steep.
- Strain, portion in serving size.
- Freeze as soon as it cools.
- For the soup
- Small dice an onion or a couple shallots, a stalk of celery, a large carrot
- Sauté in a few tablespoons of olive oil until tender.
- Add stock. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
- Taste and season to taste.
- Add a handful of pasta or a little rice.
Do not boil stock - it should be simmered.
Skim the impurities as they form.
Don't salt your stock until you make it into soup. It will give you better control of how salty your dish becomes.
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