Fix-you-up chicken soup
Eat Plentiful #38
How old were you when you actually realised that you are what you eat? As simple as that. I’m 35 years old and shoot, it’s only just kicked in for me.
I’ve always loved food but I can’t always say that I ate the right type of food. Luckily for me I grew up in a home where we ate home cooked food 99.9% of the time. Not only was it homemade it was also varied, I can’t remember eating the same meal more than once in a month. Other children would fight at school to get an invite at our table.
In my first year at university, I wasn’t particularly good at budgeting (still not) and at the end of the month I fed myself from what I could find in my flat mates’ cupboards, yes I was that person. In second year, I found out about a super sweet enriched milk drink called Nurishment, one can has 1692 calories and one can a day was all I needed. At the end of that year I had to have fillings for the first time in my life. Food in the Army wasn't much better, I exerted myself and had a big appetite. Pizza nights were a regular occurrence and I used to easily polish off an extra large Domino’s pepperoni passion cheesy crust to myself. Ash and I ordered it once when I was pregnant and we struggled to finish it between the two of us. I just found out one those has over 2500 calories, not something I ever worried about.
I am not saying that I have radically changed my diet. My love for indulgent foods persists; I still love eating copious amounts of bread and butter, I am known to have cheesy pasta with ketchup (one of my late night staple meals) and love a bit of sugar after a meal.
However, I suppose that I now appreciate more than ever that something as simple as food can not only influence how I feel but also contribute to me having a much happier and longer life. The awareness of the impact of my diet has naturally led me to make wiser choices and wanting to nourish my body with good stuff. Perhaps, that’s just what getting older means…
And because it seems like every person I know is currently sick, including little Woody I made him my favourite fix-you-up chicken and rice soup this week. If you’re feeling a little under the weather or just want a real good hug, look no further, this is is what you need.
This is my version of what the Chinese call congee, i’m more a fan of the savoury type.
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Fix-you-up chicken soup
Ingredients:
1 cup jasmine or brown rice (I literally take a mug and fill it with rice)
8 cups chicken broth (using the same mug)
4 chicken thighs skin on
4 garlic cloves sliced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
A cup on frozen peas
Instructions:
Prepare the chicken: roughly cut out the bone from the thighs, it's ok if there is still meat on the bone. Flatten the chicken as much as you can using another chopping board and salt the skin side. Set aside.
Simmer the rice and Broth: In a large pot, add stock, chicken bones, rice, salt, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir occasionally so that the rice doesn't clump or stick at the bottom.
Saute leeks, then chicken. Whilst the rice is cooking sauté the leeks for 5 mins and set aside. Cook the chicken, skin side down for 7 mins on medium heat then cook on the other side until juices run clear (approx 5 mins).
Add the remaining vegetables and garlic after cooking the rice for 10 mins.
Add the peas to the soup, 2 mins before the end. I like my rice to have a bite and not let it go mushy. Don’t hesitate loosening the soup with a little water if you like it a little runnier. Adjust the seasoning to taste and remove the chicken bones.
To serve, slice the chicken up. Serve two ladles of soup in a bowl and add the sliced chicken on top.
I like to eat this soup with a big spoon of chilli oil to clear everything up. I’ve also had it with some grated lemon zest and dill, equally as nice. Feel free to customise this recipe by adding any other vegetables or herbs.
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Things that made me smile this week
I’m still riding the almost dry-January wave and have ordered myself some exciting non-alcoholic alternatives. I’m very much looking forward to popping one of the bottles I received from the Awesome Beverage Company, especially one their aperitifs without alcohol from Osco made with plants and grapes.
Not sure why I was so surprised but I was not prepared for that Jeremy Allen White (AKA chef Carmy from the Bear)’s campaign. I know Calvin Klein has been doing these campaigns for years, but this is the first one I ever noticed. I’m surprised the sofa didn’t melt at the end of the video.