Prepping for the Winter Chill.

Tis the season! Tis the cold and flu season that is, and while flu shots are available at doctor offices and pharmacies, not so for colds. What to do to battle a cold; why chicken soup of course! Chicken soup is comfort food and a folklore cure for whatever ails you. In 2007, the University of Nebraska analyzed research studies to find that chicken soup's medicinal properties were "inconclusive". You ask anyone who doesn't feel well, depressed, tired or just all around blah; they'll tell you to take all the research and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Here in Monticello, Utah the weather has finally taken a turn towards the cold; several times it has gotten very windy, darkly clouded over and snow was anticipated. Then my son calls me up one day and says, "Mom, I don't feel well, you have anything I could eat?" Regretfully I had no chicken soup made, but he said that my Paella made him feel so much better; he did a three hour workout at the local gym. Well of course it would, it had chicken in it!  Anyway, I took no further chances, decided to make soup and took out a container of chicken stock from the freezer.   

Homemade Chicken Stock is an essential main ingredient for this soup; you want all the richness of flavor from the chicken, vegetables and seasonings, cooked together to create perfection. When I say "chicken carcass" in the recipe, basically you want to buy a whole chicken, remove the legs, thighs and breasts; what is left is what goes into the soup pot and remove as much skin as you can too.   

Why make your own stock?  You know exactly what is in the stock, it’s clear, not cloudy because of preservatives added in.  When making your stock, besides the bird carcass, you'll be adding in the "holy trinity" of cooking: carrots, celery and onion.  With the onion, leave the skin on to add a more golden color to the stock; it will all be strained later on, so no need to worry about onion skin floating in it.  I also add salt, ground black pepper and cloves of garlic for aroma and taste; so when making soup later on, be careful adding more of these ingredients.  Taste!!!  You can always add, but you can't take away if you add too much before tasting.

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up fast, remember to keep the turkey carcass (leave a little meat on) and transform it into a wonderfully roasted turkey stock.  The carcass can be wrapped in plastic, placed into a freezer bag and frozen for later use, but don’t go past three months.  You don’t use it, you’ll lose it! 

Homemade Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

3 to 4 lbs. of chicken carcass (legs, thighs and breasts removed)

3 large celery ribs, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large leek, washed thoroughly and chopped; include most of the green section as well

2 medium onions, unpeeled, but remove the root end

1 (8 oz.) container whole mushrooms; dirt brushed off

6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

2 whole bay leaves

1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns

1 Tbsp. Kosher salt

5 quarts cold water

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot (10-12 quart); bring to a boil on high heat and skim off any frothy residue. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. 

Secure cheese cloth inside a large plastic bowl and strain the stock into the bowl; discard all the solid material captured in the cheese cloth.  Place the plastic bowl inside the freezer for one hour; the fat will solidify and then can be easily removed.   The stock is now ready to be used, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts.

Now for the Chicken Noodle Soup itself; personally I use only the meat from the breasts; the legs and thighs I save for other recipes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

4 qts. of turkey, chicken or combination of both stocks

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup diced red bell pepper

5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves; trim off fat

Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

1 tsp. crushed, dried thyme leaves

12 to 16 oz. homestyle egg noodles (dependent on how much noodles you like in your soup)

Preparation:

Add the stock, onion, carrots, celery and bell pepper to a tall stock pot; set on medium heat to begin simmering.

In a large pan, add the chicken, cover with water and set on medium-high heat.  Let cook for 10 minutes, any fat will foam at the top; rinse off chicken and cut into 1 inch pieces.  In a large skillet, medium-high heat, sauté the chicken pieces until no pink is showing.  Sprinkle the salt, black pepper and thyme leaves during the cooking; mix well.

Add the chicken, and any juices in the skillet, to the stock pot.  Turn the heat up to high and bring the soup to a boil.  Add the egg noodles; they will be ready once they plump up and double in length; about 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and serve in bowls.

Makes 12 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Looking for Comfort? Eat Soup!

No matter what the weather, I have always found soup to be a wonderful comfort food.  It lightens a dark mood; soothes an ache of the mind, body or soul; can be quite healthy, so no guilt; or decadent when wanting to feel pampered.

One of the best soups I know for relieving the cold and alone feeling of nasty winter weather is Potato Leek Soup, and the addition of cream makes it a little decadent too.  Definitely a win-win.

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

4 large leeks, or 5-6 small to medium; white part only, or 1-2 inches into soft, green section

2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and cubed
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup cold water
½ tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups half n’ half
Optional: favorite fresh herb for garnish

 

 

Preparation:

Cut leeks into ½ inch pieces; place in colander to wash thoroughly with cold water to remove any dirt and girt.  In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat; sauté leeks until tender (approx. 10-15 minutes). 

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increase heat to medium-high; add potatoes, stock, water, black pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low; cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

  

 

If using an immersion blender, puree vegetables in stock pot until smooth.  Otherwise, transfer in batches into a standard blender; puree until smooth and return to stock pot once all is done.

Turn heat on again to low, stir half n’ half into the puree; let soup come up to a hot temperature, but do not increase heat to avoid boiling the soup.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with snips of favorite fresh herb if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Chicken to Broth to Soup.

“Winter is coming, Jon Snow”, and that means snow, ice, freezing winds; chilled bodies seeking warmth. Living in San Juan County, especially at the high altitude of Monticello, there are times when conditions can leave you shivering from the inside to out. Those commercials that feature chicken soup are not lying when they imply it cures what ails you. While the nutrition from the ingredients can help the immune system fight off colds, it’s the inner peace and comfort that makes the mind and soul strong as well.

So, we’ve only just entered fall and here I am writing about winter, and for a good reason. Pay attention to the smallest of creatures, squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks; watch as they pack themselves up with edible items and scurry back to their dens. They are hoarding for the winter, since they know finding food in snow and ice packed land is near to impossible. Oh, we think it’s just so simple to go to the store and buy what we need without giving necessity another thought. What about when the stores are closed, or what you need has already run out? In this new age, we take for granted, well, just about everything nowadays; we assume all we need will always be available.

Let’s travel back to 1847 and imagine how life was, for the pioneers coming out West, 168 years ago. From the East Coast to the Mississippi River, immigrants from all over Europe had become citizens of the USA; bringing their culture, and recipes, from their homelands. One ingredient that had become a main staple in almost every home was the chicken, so those wagon trains included crates full of egg laying, flightless birds. Now and then, one of those chickens gave up its life to feed the many; nothing was wasted, not even the bones.

I’m going to be referring to the article, “A Melting Pot of Pioneer Recipes”, by Winnifred C. Jardina, at the Official Website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once again. No, I'm not Mormon, but that doesn't stop me from using recipes from their sites; I do NOT discriminate against food! A recipe for “Velvet Chicken Soup” definitely caught my eye; rich with butter, cream and eggs; yet a perfect recipe for a seasoned broth as well. For those adept at cooking, or even just starting out, the techniques used in this recipe are simple and useful. For example, when one cup of the seasoned broth is slowly mixed into the beaten eggs that is called “tempering the eggs”. If the eggs were dumped into the hot broth, it would cause the eggs to scramble which is how Chinese Egg Drop Soup is made. Instead, the eggs are brought up to a warmer temperature with the slow edition of the broth, so when fully added to the soup pot, a rich, creamy soup is created instead.

As I stated already, the recipe creates a deliciously seasoned broth that can be stored in freezer containers; or in ice cube trays where the broth is portioned out in tablespoons when that is all that’s called for. The meat from the chicken can also be portioned out in freezer bags for use in other recipes during the winter months. Take a clue from our little creatures and remember, “Winter is coming”.

Velvet Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

3 or 4 pounds chicken
3 quarts cold water
1 tablespoon salt 6 peppercorns (or 1/4 teaspoon white pepper)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 cups rich milk or cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, well beaten

Preparation:

Thoroughly clean chicken and cut into pieces. Put in covered kettle with cold water and salt. Bring to boil quickly and simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from stock and remove meat from bones (saving meat to use in croquettes, pie, etc.)

Return bones to soup stock and add peppercorns (or white pepper), chopped onions, and chopped celery. Simmer together until a little more than a quart of stock remains in pan; strain, cool, and remove all fat. (Stop here if you intend on storing for future uses.)











Add rich milk or cream, bring to a boil, and thicken with cornstarch that’s been mixed smooth with a little cold water. Add butter and season to taste.

Beat eggs with a little cream. Pour 1 cup soup over egg mixture, stirring well, then pour egg-soup mixture back into soup, stirring constantly, and cook 2 minutes.

Serve hot in soup dishes, adding bite-size croutons if desired.

Note: after cutting up the chicken, I removed as much of the skin and fat layer as possible. The flavor was still intense, and there was not that much fat to remove later on. In the cooling process, I placed all the broth into a large plastic bowl, covered and put into the freezer for one hour. The fat rises to the top and can be easily scooped off; this technique is also great when using pan drippings to make gravy.

Mary Cokenour

Any Season is Turkey Time.

The Thanksgiving holiday in the United States usually means it's time for a roasted turkey and stuffing; so much work and eaten in so little time. Prices in the markets go sky high for whole turkeys, or turkey breasts; days after, the same markets practically give them away. That was the case for a twelve pound whole turkey I purchased the day after Thanksgiving. While others jammed department stores for half price on televisions, cameras or whatever they desired; I was buying a frozen turkey for half the price and into the freezer it went for future use.

Finally, it was time to get the turkey out, defrost it and create; I decided to finally try the brine technique, roast and see what the difference would be from my usual sage leaves under the skin, roast and baste with butter method. I made a mixture of 1 cup each of kosher salt and sugar to which I added 2 tablespoons each of dried sage, thyme and celery seed, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. I placed the turkey (insides removed) in an extra large, plastic mixing bowl (yes, it fit perfectly) and smeared the mixture inside and outside; any excess was put into the bowl. Next I covered the turkey with cold water, covered the bowl with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator for a 12 hour nap. Sounds almost like sending the poor little bird for a spa treatment before sending it to the oven.

Next day, the oven was preheated to 325F; 8 tablespoons of melted butter was combined with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in a small bowl.  The large roasting pan, with rack, was sprayed with nonstick spray; 2 cups of chicken stock plus 2 cups water added to the pan.  The turkey removed from the plastic bowl, placed on the rack and liberally basted with all of the butter/oil mixture.  I covered the bird with aluminum foil and in the oven it went for 3 hours.  After uncovering the bird, I gave it a good soaking of the liquid in the bottom of the pan; back into the oven for two more hours; a good basting every 45 minutes though.

When the internal temperature, at the thickest part, reached 180F, it was time for the bird to come out.  I let it rest on the rack for 15 minutes before moving it to a platter; the liquid in the pan would become gravy later on.  So, what did I think of the brining method?  The turkey was very moist, tender and juicy; the skin crispy and delicate; actually I didn't taste much difference from my method.  I thought it was a lot more work for the same result; my husband, being out of town for work, hasn't tried it yet, but the legs and wings are in the freezer waiting for him.  I took most of the white meat, portioned it out into freezer bags for use in recipes; one of which I will post next time.

The point of all this is, don't ever deny yourself something you enjoy to eat just because it is not a particular holiday. 

Mary Cokenour

Simple Chicken and Rice, but it's Not Average.

For about a 24 hour period, our little town didn't have any natural gas; human error had caused the lines to depressurize which meant no heat or hot water for many residents. It also meant no using the gas stove which meant no cooking up anything fresh for meals, except via the microwave. Yeah, that wasn't happening. Luckily the gas was back on before I went to work, and as soon as I came home I went to work on a very simple, comforting and delicious chicken dinner.  I call it "Simply Seared Chicken" due to that being the main method of cooking, searing; the side dish is "Risi e Bisi" or "Rice and Peas".  The side dish is a risotto which originated in Venice and goes very well with poultry or the other white meat, pork.

Now when picking out your chicken, I like using plump, boneless, skinless chicken breasts; however, they take a little longer to cook because of the thickness and usually need to be finished off in the oven.  Keeping them searing in the skillet is not a good idea for while they will finish cooking completely, the seasonings will end up burning.  A thinner cutlet can be used, or pound out the chicken breasts if you do not want to use the oven to complete the cooking.  Personally, once I cut into that thick section of chicken breast, the juices begin flowing out, mixing with the seasonings and olive oil; there is no need for any sauces or gravies!

 

Simply Seared Chicken

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 tsp each of medium sea salt, paprika and garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp olive oil

 

Preparation:

 

 

 

 

 

Mix together the seasonings and sprinkle on both sides of chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch skillet on medium-high heat; as it just begins to sizzle, add the chicken (skin side down) into the pan.  All four pieces will fit with a slight space in between each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sear the chicken for five minutes, turn over and sear the other side for another five minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test the doneness by slicing open the thickest part of the breast.  If it is still undercooked, place the chicken into a baking pan and finish off cooking in a 350F oven for three to five minutes.

 

 

 

The Risi e Bisi can be cooking at the same time you are preparing the chicken; a main and side dish done at the same time!

 

Risi e Bisi (rice and peas)

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup Arborio rice

4 cups warmed chicken stock

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted and warmed

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation:

 

In a deep, large skillet, medium-heat, melt the butter with the olive oil; add the rice and toast it for two minutes; add the garlic and mix thoroughly.  Add 1 and 1/2 cups of stock, bring to a low boil (just beginning to bubble); stir until the liquid is fully absorbed into the rice.  Continue adding in half cups of stock, letting it be fully absorbed by the rice before adding more; stir constantly.  The rice should be al dente within 20 minutes at which time the peas and cheese can be added and mixed in.

 

Both the chicken and side dish recipes are for four servings.  Simple, easy, comforting and very delicious; how can you go wrong!?!

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



I've Got Big Balls - Matzo Balls.

For about a week or so the temperatures in our area were in the high 50's to low 60's; sunny, clear skies and a light breeze coming down off the mountains. Simply beautiful weather for the spring, and it was an inspiration to get outside and do some yard cleaning. On April 2nd I decided to take a ride across to Cortez, Colorado to do a little shopping, enjoy a nice lunch of a tarragon chicken salad sandwich, and then do the leisurely drive back home. As I got closer and closer to the Colorado/Utah border, I noticed the dark clouds beginning to travel my way. Rain, I thought, oh the dry, dusty yard will love that! A few miles over the Utah border the rain began, nothing heavy until I drove a few more miles. Thicker rain coming down now...thicker? Snow showers? Really!?! As I began entering the city limits of Monticello, the fat, white flakes were coming down and sticking to any grassy areas; fortunately not to the streets or roadways. The temperature at the end of this debacle was about 25 F, the wind had picked up and it was a bitter cold. Now I would have appreciated the irony of all this if it had occurred the day before on April Fool's Day; now I was just miffed.

How did I get over all this? Chicken soup of course, but not just any old chicken soup...Matzo Ball soup. That's right, a recipe from Jewish culture that is the ultimate comfort food; the cure all of any ailment (or so we pretend to believe). I was introduced to many foods related to Jewish cuisine when I lived in Brooklyn, New York...Noodle Kugel, Bagels, Lox, Matzo Ball Soup, Pastrami, Corned Beef, etc, etc, etc.   Basically, in the five boroughs of New York and Long Island, you were either Catholic or Jewish; and the big influences in foods were Italian, Irish, Slavic or Jewish.   That was the true meaning of America's "melting pot" back then; and even today, New York is still the number one area to see that meaning of immigration.  But I digress....

Homemade Chicken Stock is an essential main ingredients for this soup; you want all the richness of flavor from the chicken, vegetables and seasonings, cooked together to create perfection. When I say "chicken carcass" in the recipe, basically you want to buy a whole chicken, remove the legs, thighs and breasts; what is left is what goes into the soup pot.  Remove as much skin as you can too.  Oh, and why leave the onions unpeeled?  It will give your stock a nice, golden coloring.

Homemade Chicken Stock

3 to 4 lbs of chicken carcass (legs, thighs and breasts removed)
3 large celery ribs, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large leek, washed thoroughly and chopped; include most of the green section as well
2 medium onions, unpeeled, but remove the root end
1 (8 oz) container whole mushrooms; dirt brushed off
6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 whole bay leaves
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
5 quarts cold water

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot (10-12 quart); bring to a boil on high heat and skim off any frothy residue. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. 

Secure cheese cloth inside a large plastic bowl and strain the stock into the bowl; discard all the solid material captured in the cheese cloth.  Place the plastic bowl inside the freezer for one hour; the fat will solidify and then can be easily removed.   The stock is now ready to be used, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts.

Traditionally, to make an authentic soup, "schmaltz" should be added.  Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat; not the skin of the chicken, but the gobs of gelatinous fat underneath the skin.  The chickens you find at the local supermarket are bred to be lean, so the amount of fat you'll need ( 2 cups) is about impossible to get off the chicken.  You might be able to find a local butcher who can help you obtain what you need; but don't worry about it if you can't.

Schmaltz

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken fat, chopped
1 small onion, chopped

Preparation:

Place fat and onion in a large skillet, over low heat; let cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The fat will melt and begin to brown; when it is all a golden brown; remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove all the crisp bits (gribenes).  The liquid left is the schmaltz; the gribenes can be used in the matzo balls, or other recipes.  Strain the schmaltz through cheese cloth to remove any excess gribenes or residue to get a clear liquid.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Now lets get to the star of this show, the Matzo Balls.  Matzo is a crisp, dry unleavened bread made with three ingredients: flour, water and salt.  It is primarily eaten during the Jewish Festival of Freedom, Passover.   To make the Matzo Balls, the Matzo is crushed into a coarse powder called matzo meal.  There are two types of balls, "floaters" and "sinkers"; floaters are large, light and fluffy, sitting gently in the soup; sinkers are denser, smaller and tend to sit at the bottom of the soup bowl. To make the "floaters" add seltzer water to your recipe; to make "sinkers" use chicken stock instead.

 

How to Make Matzo Balls

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup matzo meal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp Schmaltz (or vegetable oil if you don't have Schmaltz)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp seltzer water (floaters) or chicken stock (sinkers)

Option: add 2 Tbsp gribenes

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

This will eventually make about 10-12 one inch balls.

Soup Time!!!

Place three quarts of chicken stock into a large pot (6-8 quart) and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.  While the stock is heating up, begin rolling your matzo ball "batter" into one inch balls.  Hint:  wet your hands with cold water each time to keep the "batter" from sticking.  When the stock is boiling, gently add the balls one at a time; cover the pot and cook for 30-40 minutes; they're ready when they triple in size and are floating in the simmering stock.

Options: you can add some thinly sliced carrot when you first begin bringing the stock to boil and let it continue to cook with the matzo balls.

Garnishes: sliced green onion or fresh dill.

So there you have a little adventure into Jewish cuisine.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Al Dente Rice? Risotto!

A classic Italian rice dish served in many a fine dining establishment is called Risotto. The rice is cooked to an al dente consistency which means it is "firm to the tooth", but not hard nor crunchy; and certainly not mushy. The type of rice used for risotto is called Arborio; a short grained, starchy rice which was exclusively grown in Italy, but now comes from Texas and California as well.

Cooking this type of rice is much different than the typical white or long grained rices; for one cup of rice it takes up to 4 cups of hot liquid to achieve the right consistency. Normally rice is cooked in a 2 to 1 ratio; two cups of liquid to one cup rice where the rice and liquid are brought up to a boil together, left to simmer and then settle.  Another difference is that the dry arborio rice is sauteed in a pan with ingredients before the liquid begins to be added in.  With other types of rice, the seasonings or other ingredients are added in after the rice has fully, or almost fully, cooked.  So this makes it important to plan your risotto dish ahead, since adding ingredients after it is completed sort of defeats the purpose of the dish itself.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter, divided in half
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into pieces
½ cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup white wine
5 ½ cups hot chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp minced parsley

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; saute mushrooms and chicken together until there is no more pink in the chicken. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap to keep warm and moist.

Reduce heat to medium; in the same skillet, melt 2 remaining tablespoons of butter; saute onion until translucent; add in garlic and rice; stir and let cook until rice turns opaque. Stir in black pepper and wine; let cook until wine is absorbed.

Begin adding chicken stock one half cup at a time; do not add next half cup until previous one has been absorbed into the rice. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula gently to keep rice from breaking apart.

When the last half cup of stock has been reached, add back the mushrooms and chicken; add in the grated cheese and parsley. Stir thoroughly; remove from heat once stock has been fully absorbed and the rice is creamy; stir and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Mary Cokenour