I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, and also a bit blue, so naturally a nice chicken soup comes to mind (after all, it's the cure for what ails you, no matter what the problem). I needed some ingredients, and as the super-mega-Asian market is the closest store to the house I thought, "why not spin the traditional recipe, and incorporate some other elements?". More East meets West; I have high hopes.
I like strong, rich stocks simmered for 10-12 hours with tons of mirepoix vegetables and herbs. My freezer is currently devoid of chicken stock, so I must start from scratch. I am making a "quick" stock, then simmering in the rest of the ingredients for the soup. This recipe picks up some of my favorite Asian flavors while retaining the soul-quenching goodness of homemade chicken soup. You can go further and add some of your favorite ingredients such as noodles, dumplings, shrimp or other vegetables.
THE RECIPE
For the stock:
One 3-4 pound chicken, rinsed with cold water
Two large onions, quartered
6-8 stalks Chinese celery, leaves included AND the leaves from the rest of the bunch. Cut these on the bias and also lengthwise to expose the maximum surface area.
3-4 large carrots, quartered on the bias and split lengthwise
6-8 cloves garlic, quartered down the center
1/2 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley, torn into segments
1/2 bunch Asian basil (rau que, hung que), torn into segments
1/4 bunch baby dill, torn into segments
3T dried lemongrass
2/3 T sea salt
2 T freshly cracked black peppercorns
Water to cover (approx. one gallon)
Section the whole chicken with poultry shears or a cleaver. Remove and discard half the skin. Place in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the balance of ingredients and cover with water. Simmer over a low flame but do not boil. Stir minimally, only on the half hour and just enough to turn over the ingredients; doing so helps to keep the stock clearer. Also, keep the stock temperature above 150 degrees Fahrenheit while cooking.
After 90 minutes, remove the chicken parts. Set aside, cool, remove the meat from the bones. Return the bones to the pot. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and keep in refrigerator. Continue to simmer for another 90 minutes. IF you are pressed for time, and just jonesing for your soup you can skip this additional simmer (but you end up with such good flavor with the extra time investment).
OK, now it's time for soup.
Remove from heat and allow the stock to cool a bit. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or china cap strainer. Twice. Rinse the stock pot and return stock to the pan. Return to low flame. Add:
2-3 large carrots, 1/2 inch slices on the bias
2-3 stalks Chinese or western celery, large slices on the bias
1 small onion, large slices
1/2 jalapeno or other hot pepper, minced
3T dark (thick) soy sauce
3T Ketjap manis (Indonesian sweet and spicy reduced soy)
2T shaoxing cooking wine
1T five fragrance spice
Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, then add:
2 medium white rose potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
After approximately 15 minutes, taste and correct seasonings. Add softer vegetables (I added some fresh green beans) or skip the potatoes and add noodles / dumplings. Garnish with parsley and shallots; serve with bread or the wonderful cheese popovers from the last post. Kick back and enjoy your soul therapy!
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