chicken noodle soup<\/a>.<\/p>\nIt appears among the earliest recommendation of chicken soup for medicinal purposes traces to around the year 60 when Nero\u2019s physician Predacious Dioscorides recommended it as a treatment for respiratory illness. In the twelfth century the great Moses Maimonides, not only a rabbi and theologian, but also a physician prescribed it in his \u201cOn the Cause of Symptoms.\u201d Of course chicken soup is known as \u201cJewish Penicillin\u201d and I\u2019m sure they wouldn\u2019t allow people to say that if it didn\u2019t have curative powers.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve read that the actual combination of chicken and noodles in the soup, or, at least its place in our popular Western imagination is all thanks to Campbell\u2019s famous (in some circles notorious) sodium laden canned product, which hit the market in 1934. At first it was called Noodle Soup with Chicken, and sold, but within five years Campbell\u2019s marketers hit on the right name, \u201cChicken Noodle Soup,\u201d as we now all know it. <\/p>\n
And, as far as I\u2019m concerned with that magic combination we have the perfect medicinal soup.<\/p>\n
(A very dear old friend once suggested that science has determined that one needs in addition to the chicken noodle soup, an inexpensive sparkling white wine. Those of a scientific turn should keep this in mind\u2026)<\/p>\n
Now. I\u2019m sick, if not terribly sick, too. So, the work should be kept relatively minimal. What I think this means is that the ideal recipe uses pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. It should not be sodium laden. And the broth, of whatever origin (again I\u2019m sick, so from scratch isn\u2019t going to happen, although it is a call to think of those true cook friends who keep a store of their own home made for such emergencies) needs to be kept in mind not as an afterthought but as quite important. America\u2019s Test Kitchen recommends \u201cSwanson Certified Organic Free Range Chicken broth,\u201d while warning these nationally produced products are constantly being reformulated. Lynne Rossetto Kasper of the Splendid Table recommends \u201cKitchen Basics Chicken Cooking Stock.\u201d In our household I\u2019ve been partial to \u201cKitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock,\u201d which, has no added salt, bringing the sodium levels down dramatically, and tastes pretty good. I\u2019ve found it a bit easier to find than the particular type of Swansons, and do note it isn\u2019t their more common version.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve already established the chicken is going to be pre-cooked. Just about every mega mart offers some rotisserie chicken. In our Long Beach neighborhood an early discovery were the grilled chickens available at our neighborhood Northgate Gonzalez Market. Whole Foods is more expensive, but you also know their chickens had a better life than most. I like using both white and dark meat, gives the dish a tad more complexity.<\/p>\n
Vegetables are important. But, not too many. Same with noodles. Actually, the same with the chicken. Me, gotta have some carrots, some celery, onion and lots and lots of garlic. Many additional options out there, of course. If you\u2019re getting adventurous, don\u2019t forget different vegetables require different cooking times.<\/p>\n
Noodles are your choice. I have a preference for egg noodles, and while yolkless is okay, it does come with a flavor loss. At the very least this will be the last ingredient to add. The real cool people apparently actually cook their noodles separately, and only add when serving. <\/p>\n
A judicious use of herbs is recommended. Some good ones are tarragon and parsley.<\/p>\n
All this said, here\u2019s a basic recipe based on my experience, stealing from everyone who seems like they know what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
1\/2 whole chicken, rotisserie cooked, skinned, meat stripped from bones
\n4 cups fluid. I like three cups chicken stock, one cup white wine
\nA bit less than a cup of diced white or sweet onion
\n4 garlic cloves, diced
\na bit less than a cup of celery, chopped
\n1\/2 cup of carrots, chopped
\n6 oz of egg noodles
\n1\/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
\n1 teaspoon dried parsley
\n1\/2 lemon juiced
\nsalt & pepper to taste
\nsmall quantity of olive oil<\/p>\n
Preparation<\/p>\n
Heat a pot, we use a dutch oven, medium low.
\nSautee onion in olive oil for two minutes or so, add garlic, saut\u00e9 another minute, or so.
\nPour in fluids.
\nAdd celery & carrots.
\nSimmer half an hour
\nAdd chicken
\nAdd tarragon, parsley, salt & pepper
\nBring to a boil, then simmer for fifteen, twenty minutes
\nAdd lemon juice, stir
\nAdd noodles, let cook minimum time on package<\/p>\n
Serve<\/p>\n
Goes great with crusty bread. If the tummy allows garlic toast can be a real treat.<\/p>\n
We usually include a simple green salad, as well\u2026<\/p>\n
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