ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — #Snowmaggedon2020 #NLStorm #NLBlizzard #nlwx — call it what you like, it was a storm for the history books of our province. If you look up any of those hashtags on social media, you’d best be ready for thousands upon thousands of posts people made over the past week. Suffice to say, we were clobbered.
Like many of you, I was scrolling through all the social media feeds, watching videos and looking at pictures people posted. My favourite part of the state of emergency was that the people of our province continued to shine with their absolutely amazing compassion and humour. I’m a proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian right here, foodie friends.
“The more you eat, the less flavour; the less you eat, the more flavour.” — Chinese Proverb
There’s one area that really grabbed my attention: the sheer number of people who lined up for the grocery store when the state of emergency was lifted for a period of time mid-week. Hundreds of people in the line turned to thousands. Holy moly! B’ys, I thought by the number of people who were out shopping before the storm hit, emptying the store shelves, we’d all be set for a month.
Move over #StormChips because #StormSoup is about to take over!
I may have eaten the same thing for a few days, but guess what? It was so delicious that it didn’t bother me in the least. When I went to the grocery store before the storm I had a fairly small list of essentials to pick up, like milk, bread, eggs etc., but my main goal was to get all the ingredients for one of my favourite soup recipes. There’s nothing better on a cold winter’s day that a big bowl of hearty soup.
Most people are all about stocking up on storm chips. As you can probably gather by now, I’m all about storm soup. Sure, chips provide the ultimate salty snack food. But a big ol’ pot of delicious soup will keep you going for days during a storm.
“Almost every culture has its own variation on chicken soup, and rightly so — it’s one of the most gratifying dishes on the face of the Earth.” — Yotam Ottolenghi
The recipe? Chicken soup. Listen up, food friends, because this isn’t just any chicken soup. It has garlic, ginger, turmeric and Israeli couscous, and it is the best chicken soup you will ever, ever taste.
“He who controls the spice controls the universe.” — Frank Herbert
The star of the show in this recipe is turmeric. It’s a spice that’s widely used in Middle Eastern and Asian cooking. You have to be extremely careful when using it though, as it easily stains. But a little extra precaution while eating it is well worth it. Make no wonder it was also widely used as a dye.
Turmeric is also known for its many health benefits. I’m not a doctor and can’t prove it in any way, but it’s said that turmeric is an antioxidant and is especially good for inflammation and symptoms of arthritis. I don’t know if it does all those things, but I do know it helps make the best chicken soup I have ever made. With every spoonful it makes me feel great.
“When life gives you chicken, make soup.” — Unknown
The recipe calls for one tablespoon of freshly grated turmeric or one teaspoon of ground turmeric. However, I certainly didn’t go by the measurements for any of the ingredients. I made a huge pot to taste and I can tell you I certainly added way more than one tablespoon of turmeric. Perhaps you should try the directions for your first time around and experiment with your second batch.
If you’re looking for the recipe, search for chicken soup on ambitiouskitchen.com. You’ll find it here: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/the-best-chicken-soup-recipe/ and here:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pearl or Israeli couscous
2/3 cup frozen peas (optional, but recommended)
Method
Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and add oil. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, carrots and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent.
Add grated ginger and grated turmeric. Sauté for 30 seconds to let the spices cook, then add chicken broth, chicken breast, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in couscous.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to pot then stir in frozen peas. If you find that you don't have enough broth, add another cup. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Hopefully you’re all shovelled out by now. Why don’t you hunker down and sooth those sore muscles with a bowl of this delicious soup? It’s definitely fit to eat.
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Email [email protected]: @ErinSulley Instagram: @erinsulley
