A bit of comfort

I know it's unusual for me to post two days in a row, but I've got some recipes stacked up on the cluttered shelf and so should make some room for new things. So here we go, staying on point today. Apparently, the theme of last week was comfort food and so, I made a giant pot of chicken noodle soup mid-week to both to stave off a cold and warm the cockles of my heart. It was such a big pot that I only just polished off the rest of this delicious soup last night, poured atop a heaping mound of thin wheat-flour noodles and with a poached egg (if you don't know what thin wheat-flour noodles are, no problem, see the note below in the recipe). Trust me, after a long cold walk home from work, dinner could not have been any better.

Chicken noodle soup transcends cultures so I'm sure you have your own version that you think is far better than this one, and I want you to know right now that I believe you completely. Please do give this version a chance though. It's a personal favorite of mine and something you might not have considered is that, in addition to the flavor punch, this soup wins in its simplicity. You don't have to spend the time boiling bones for stock, you don't have to marinate anything for hours or go hunting for fresh herbs. All you need is a big pot and 10 minutes to put things together. 

A few notes in advance. Pinky describes this soup as quite "herbaceous," which rings true as the soup does have a green hue from all the dried basil and thyme. It's very thyme-y and also gingery, the latter which I know isn't a common "American" chicken noodle soup flavor. In addition, I didn't add a thickener in this case because I like to have this soup atop wheat-flour noodles, like an Asian person, but if you are inclined to use only egg noodles, I'd recommend mixing in about 2 TB of flour (dissolved first in water to make a slurry). A thickener like this will give the soup some sticking-to-your-ribs qualities, and as we all know, thickened soup adheres better than a thin soup to any crusty bread you choose to serve alongside.

I think that's it. On a random note, before I leave, I want to recommend a short but well-done documentary I watched last night. It's called Can Eating Insects Save the World? by the BBC, featuring the ever-pleasant Stefan Gates. Of course, for those squeamish about odd foods, I'd recommend making this soup first and filling your stomach before you embark on this particular contemplative documentary adventure.

Chicken Noodle Soup

6 servings

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

15 button mushrooms, quartered

1 TB marsala wine (optional)

2-3 teaspoons of sea salt

5 stalks of celery

3 large carrots

1 large white onion

3 large cloves of garlic

2 TB salted butter

1 4-inch knob of ginger, cut into 4 pieces

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

48 oz. chicken broth

water

chopped egg noodles or thin wheat-flour noodles*

*Note: So sue me, I'm Asian. I actually prefer to eat this steaming rich soup with thin wheat-flour noodles, which you should be able to pick-up from any local Asian or Korean grocery store. There are multiple brands. The amount of egg or wheat-flour noodles you put into your soup is purely up to you.

Salt the chicken thigh pieces with about 1 teaspoon of sea salt, mixing the salt in thoroughly with your hands. In another bowl, mix the quartered mushrooms with the marsala wine. Let both the chicken and mushrooms marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients, e.g. dicing onions, mincing garlic, chopping celery and carrots. 

In a large pot on high heat, melt 1 TB of butter and lightly brown the chicken and mushrooms together. After the mushrooms are softened, add in the 2nd TB of butter and add in the chopped celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Stir until evenly mixed and sweat the vegetables until softened and shiny.  Nestle in the knobs of ginger and mix in the dried thyme, dried basil, and ground black pepper. Once all is hot, pour in the chicken broth and add water until all ingredients are covered. Taste and season with remaining salt. Lower heat and bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the celery and carrots are soft. 

Right before you are about to serve, remove the knobs of ginger and discard (unless you like to eat knobs of ginger). Then add in your chopped egg noodles and thickener (flour slurry) and cook until soup is thickened and noodles are soft. However, if you are opting for the thin wheat-flour noodle option, don't add any thickener and boil your dried noodles separately, in another pot, and reserve in a bowl until you are ready to ladle the soup on top. Then serve.