25/10 VOODOO SOUP
Voodoo. Who do? You do. Do what? Fix everything... this magic chicken brew does its best. While I know it doesn't look all that, there is survival in its simple warmth. The recipe was created as a by-product of my Halloween costume for which the bones of 4 roast chickens are needed. This was my way to use all the birds before they became a couture necklace. 
The soup should be peppery and full of flavor yet still light, thanks to aromatic celery-chili-ginger mix. The onion become translucent noodles-like tentacles, giving some body to the broth. The clearer the brew the better for the soul - perhaps it conjured a Voodoo spirit - and this certainly revived this tired bag of bones. If not see a witch doctor.
Ingredients (all from leftovers) -
500 ml Chicken Stock (& 1 L boiled water)
1 Roast Chicken
1 Onion
Celery Stems
Rosemary
Ginger
Salt + Pepper
What I did -
To make the stock you can pretty much do anything, so long as you have a couple of roast chicken carcasses saved up. Its important to use a roast chicken which you otherwise would throw away as there is so much more flavor in a massacred roast chook than bought stock bones. Of course you can just use bought chicken stock because who can really bother all the time. But if you are making the stock, a process I feel akin to meditation, put the chicken carcasses (x2) in a large pot. Add a few vegetables, I use a carrot, onion and the otherwise inedible base of a celery. Spice up your life-broth with some salt, pepper and chili flakes. Honestly add anything that takes your fancy, cover everything with water, simmer for a couple of hours then strain stock out.
Now assuming that you've bothered, or just have chicken stock at hand the soup can be brewed. I start by reducing a sliced onion in a heavy pot. Add a pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture and speed up the process. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. In the meantime prepare the chicken just ensure that there is only the flesh, no skin or bones, and slice thin but wide. Tumble the white meat in and sear for a few seconds, until it just starts sticking. Add the stock and let simmer.
Add the sprig of rosemary, hunk of ginger and celery leaves, keep tied with string or large enough to remove at the end. Cover with boiled water and salt heavily. The Salt will keep the flavor from disappearing in the water and the celery will help to keep the broth light.
Boil gently for an hour with the lid perched on the edge to let steam escape. The broth should reduce by a third or so, then is ready to revive. Shake in a hit of pepper and remove the Rosemary and Celery before serving. Doesn't look perfect but the amber broth, translucent onion 'noodles' and chicken slivers has a magic that can revive even the most tormented soul.
500 ml Chicken Stock (& 1 L boiled water)
1 Roast Chicken
1 Onion
Celery Stems
Rosemary
Ginger
Salt + Pepper
What I did -
To make the stock you can pretty much do anything, so long as you have a couple of roast chicken carcasses saved up. Its important to use a roast chicken which you otherwise would throw away as there is so much more flavor in a massacred roast chook than bought stock bones. Of course you can just use bought chicken stock because who can really bother all the time. But if you are making the stock, a process I feel akin to meditation, put the chicken carcasses (x2) in a large pot. Add a few vegetables, I use a carrot, onion and the otherwise inedible base of a celery. Spice up your life-broth with some salt, pepper and chili flakes. Honestly add anything that takes your fancy, cover everything with water, simmer for a couple of hours then strain stock out.
Now assuming that you've bothered, or just have chicken stock at hand the soup can be brewed. I start by reducing a sliced onion in a heavy pot. Add a pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture and speed up the process. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. In the meantime prepare the chicken just ensure that there is only the flesh, no skin or bones, and slice thin but wide. Tumble the white meat in and sear for a few seconds, until it just starts sticking. Add the stock and let simmer.
Add the sprig of rosemary, hunk of ginger and celery leaves, keep tied with string or large enough to remove at the end. Cover with boiled water and salt heavily. The Salt will keep the flavor from disappearing in the water and the celery will help to keep the broth light.
Boil gently for an hour with the lid perched on the edge to let steam escape. The broth should reduce by a third or so, then is ready to revive. Shake in a hit of pepper and remove the Rosemary and Celery before serving. Doesn't look perfect but the amber broth, translucent onion 'noodles' and chicken slivers has a magic that can revive even the most tormented soul.
JG
No comments:
Post a Comment