Chicken Farmers of Canada
Ron Eade, The Ottawa Citizen food editor and avid food blogger, told us a story about his famous chicken soup the other day and we thought it would be good to share as we head into cold and flu season. Thanks to Ron and enjoy his guest blog!
My good friend, Walter, gave me a call the other day (actually more like a whimper) to explain in a most pitifully feeble voice that he’d just had emergency gall bladder surgery at midnight Friday, and here it was Sunday and already they’d kicked him out of the hospital to let him fend for himself. Poor hapless wretch. Florence Nightingale that I am, of course I took pity.
“Oh, and could you ph-lease make me some of your chicken soup?” he whispered. He sounded pained. “Yes Walter, I’ll make the soup”
Fact is, I get requests from friends three or four times each fall/winter for my special low-salt chicken pot-au-feu that cures everything from miserable head colds to pulmonary congestion to, well, days when you’re just feeling blah.
It is wonderful stuff, and ridiculously easy.
I’ve even had friends ask for a pot to take to, say, their kitchen-challenged bachelor son in Toronto, as if he couldn’t find a decent chicken soup in the Big Smoke.
No matter, I am always delighted to oblige.
Mine is not so much a recipe as it is a procedure. As always, the goal is to make a rich, satisfying pho-like noodle soup minus all the nasty salt that downtown restaurants tend to pack into their bowls. Even better, I get to clean out the fridge while I’m at it.
So my wife asked, do we have a chicken for Walter? To which I assured her, dear, I always have chicken.
First, start with a whole fryer, about three or four pounds. You may also want to visit Kowloon Market in Chinatown for ridiculously cheap chicken carcasses, three for $1, to further enrich the broth (and while there, pick up various Asian ingredients, see below).
At home, it’s good to chop a whole chicken into six or eight pieces – the Kowloon carcass too – and roast it at 375°F to yield tempting brown colour and richer flavour. (Roasting is entirely optional, however.)
Drop all the chicken bits into a 10- to 12-quart stockpot with a thick bottom, along with 1 smashed stalk of lemongrass, 2 large and roughly chopped carrots, 1 quartered medium onion, a small handful of fresh thyme, 2 very large smashed cloves of garlic, leftover parmesan cheese rinds if you have any, 2 star anise, 1 bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, and the green top from 1 bulb of fennel.
Cover with cold water, then bring to simmer. Do not boil, as that may cloud the stock.
As soon as the simmering bubbles barely break the surface (what the French call, a pot that smiles), put the lid on and place on a heat-diffusing simmering plate on lowest flame.
I like to let the stockpot smile overnight — be sure the heat is low enough to not boil dry (that would be a bad thing); alternatively, place the covered stockpot in the oven at 225°F to be sure nothing goes wrong while you slumber.
Next day, fish out and refrigerate the nice chunks of cooked chicken meat, then strain out and discard all other solids including vegetables, bones, lemongrass. You should have 4 quarts of chicken broth, plus meat to add later.
Now, go to Chinatown (if you haven’t already) and buy a few handfuls of bean sprouts, 2 limes, a small package small-size button mushrooms, 1/2 pound extra-firm tofu,1 bunch fresh Asian basil, 1 bunch fresh cilantro, 2 or 3 handfuls of baby boy choy, 1 fennel bulb, your favourite package of frozen Chinese dumplings, 2 small zucchinis, a package of fine rice noodles (or, substitute ordinary pasta shapes; macaroni works fine), 1 bundle of fresh green onions, a 2-inch chunk of fresh gingerroot, more garlic, and whatever else you think might go well in the soup/stew.
(At home, we assume you already have sesame oil and hot Sriracha chili sauce in the pantry/icebox, as every kitchen should.)
Peel and chop gingerroot and garlic fine, then add to the pot with strained chicken stock. Return to simmer.
Wash, trim and rough cut bok choy and fennel; set aside. Slice zucchini 1/2-inch thick; set aside.
Prepare garnishes to serve on the side: Rinse and drain bean sprouts well; set aside. Slice green onions thin; set aside. Wash basil and cilantro to remove any grit; chop rough and set aside.
About 30 minutes before serving, toss in a pinch of ground cloves, 2 tablespoons sesame oil and 2 handfuls of pasta (if using fine rice noodles, wait and add 5 minutes before serving). Add small button mushrooms, any leftover chunks of sausage meat and/or bits of bacon you may have in the fridge.
Fifteen minutes before serving, toss in chopped fennel, sliced zucchini, grated zest and juice from 2 limes, and frozen dumplings. Chop tofu into ½-inch pieces, add to pot along with reserved chicken meat. Any leftover celery? Chop and add now. Return to boil.
Five minutes before serving, add chopped bok choy.
Place green onions, basil, cilantro and bean sprouts on side plate(s) to garnish as desired, and pass the hot Sriracha chili sauce. Let people add their own salt, to taste.
Now, how easy is that? Incredibly tasty, and good for you!
Share a pot this fall and you too may have friends calling with the sniffles, asking for your homemade chicken elixir.
Or better yet, show them how it’s done in case you’re not feeling 100-per-cent some day … You never know.
- Ron Eade
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