Anything But Chicken Soup

Sometimes we all need a bowl of chicken soup. It can help cure just about everything or to quote Stephanie Lee..."It can fix most anything 'cept the break of dawn and a broken heart."

Having had a little procedure yesterday I was off my red wine diet and needed something that would go down easy. Even when you feel rotten chicken soup goes down easy. So whether you've had a bone graft, or feel a little flue-like this recipe will help to heal.

8 cups chicken stock (canned and boxed are never very good)
2 carrots diced
Celery leaves finely chopped
Parsley finely chopped
Fresh Dill finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic finely diced
1 onion cut into semi-small chunks
A little olive oil
Shredded chicken (optional)
1 lemon wedge per bowl

I tend to make my stock in advance and reduce it so that it is ready in the freezer for whatever is needed, but a great time to make chicken soup is the day after you have had a roast chicken. Thrown the bones in the pot with water and whatever else you have and boil it down for several hours. If you don't cook and want a specific recipe grab a cookbook. I never make it the same way twice.

In a large pot saute the onion in the oil 'til it begins to carmelize then add the garlic, just when your garlic begins to brown throw in the stock and all the vegetables. While that is coming to a boil it is time to make the noodles. Come on, you didn't think I was going to open a bag.

Grandma's Thumbprint Noodles
A pile of flour
An egg
Salt and black pepper

Crack the egg into the flour and salt it well, then grind in some pepper. Beat with a fork and begin to incorporate flour. It will get gummy then doughy. When it become doughy knead a few times until you have a nice dough that is not too sticky.

You can roll the dough out and cut into nice even noodles, but my Grandma Ett did it with her thumb. Take a little pinch of dough and squeeze/roll between your thumb and your forefinger. Set them aside until they are done and then drop into the boiling stock and vegetables making sure you stir so they don't stick together. They will be soft in about 14 minutes. Throw in the diced chicken if you have it, otherwise just ladle into a bowl and top with the diced herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

This goes great with a light red, or a rose, but if alcohol is forbidden due to a painkiller it's not bad with a bit of club soda and a splash of juice.

It doesn't cure everything, but it never hurts.

Composed Salad

I am not lazy...I swear I'm not. No updates because S.O. and I have been in Budapest. I took my computer intending to photograph and write about what we ate while there but the best intentions get wiped out when you are searching for that next wonderful bit of goose liver. I gained weight, no kidding, not massive amounts but enough for me to be careful about consumption for a few weeks.

S.O. had a version of this salad at the David Gregory restaurant (now closed) in D.C. and has been craving it ever since. The dressing I made is a lightened up version of their creamy herb and we chose our own vegetables. On a warm night this is a great starter when you want the vegetables to be the primary food group.

Dressing:

The juice of two limes
1 cup of dill fronds
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 anchovy
1 fresh egg
Black pepper
Dash salt

Combine everything in food processor and set aside.

You can use any vegetables you have. We chose mesclun, lightly dressed, fresh peas and greens very lightly blanched and chilled and zuchinni lightly grilled along with some fresh cucumber. Drizzle the dressing over the veg and serve on chilled plates.

Did I say delicous?

It was, of course our pledge to eat light ended with the salad. We polished off a bit of chicken paprikash afterwards and had some of the leftover chicken made into a hash this morning.

We like to eat.