Recipe - Winter Warmer - Chicken Soup

This is the soup I turn to when the dreaded winter "lurgies" attack. Colds, flu etc. This soup is both heart warming, tummy pleasing and tastes great. It's also wonderful to share a bowl with friends on a cold winter night with crusty bread in front of a fire, with a good movie! So here goes, my "Cure All" Chicken Soup.

4 large chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger, 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1 large red onion finely diced, 1/2 a chilli seeds removed (optional) 

Place all these in a frying pan that has about 1 tablespoon of good oil in it. Gently fry together until chicken is well browned, turning regularly and scraping the onion mix off the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn. Everything should go a lovely dark caramel color and smell delicious! DON'T eat it! This is your base flavor for your soup.

Meanwhile on your stove, place your large stock pot with about 4 litres of water on to begin heating up. Drop in a generous teaspoon of Celtic stone ground sea salt (or whatever salt you use).

Dice the following veges and add to the stock pot:

3 carrots, 1 x white turnip or swede (or both), 4 sticks celery, 1 cup cauliflower, 1 cup broccoli, 6 asparagus spears, 1 handful of green beans, 1 bunch of shallots.

When chicken mix is cooked switch off and take chicken out and dice it up and add to stock pot. Then with a slotted spoon scrap out the onion mix that is on the bottom of the pan.
Drain as much fat as you can out of the pan (the fat on the chicken will have cooked out of it and be the fat in your pan). Add some boiling water to the pan and gently remove all the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan and tip this into your stock pot.

Herbs: I have them growing in my garden, so I pick what is in season. I used parsley, rosemary and oregano this time.  Finely chop these together and add to pot.
I really like ginger, so I usually add more finely chopped ginger as well.

Cook your soup until the veges are tender and it has reduced by about a 1/3rd. This enhances the flavor.  Usually about 1 1/2 hrs at a simmer.

Eat as it is, or serve with you favorite hot crusty bread or rolls. You can keep it in the frig for up to a week. It also freezes well, so you can make a big batch like this and freeze some for another "rainy day" heart warmer.

If you want it to impress dinner guests with this soup, cook it the day before and refrigerate it overnight. This will strengthen the flavors! Enjoy! It is very healthy, and very tasty.

Green Beans

Chicken thighs, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli.

Shallots

 

Veges simmering.

Chopping up the cooked chicken.

Herbs: Rosemary, parsley, oregano.

Completed soup cooking away.

Ready to eat!!