Coming up with your own cold remedy is a matter of taste
By Aleta Watson Knight Ridder Newspapers
Is that a sniffle coming from the next cubicle? Did you just hear someone wheeze? Its tough to avoid viruses this time of year, especially if youre among the multitudes who didnt score a flu shot this season.
Happily, theres no shortage of chicken soup. Steaming bowls of golden broth are a time-honored palliative for the sniffles.
Physicians and grandmothers have been prescribing the elixir since at least Roman times. Researchers confirmed its value late in the last century, finding that chicken soup contains agents similar to those in modern cold medicines to check inflammation and make breathing easier.
The good news is its not hard to make your own even if youre not feeling great. Homemade broth is not essential although the difference in flavor is worth a little extra effort. You can use commercial low-sodium broths in a pinch. We like Pacific or Swansons.
You dont need a precise recipe, either. Proportions and combinations are a matter of taste. Start with a quart of broth. Add aromatics such as onions and herbs, vegetables for vitamins and texture, a starch for bulk, and a garnish to balance the flavors.
Here are blueprints for three very different and satisfying styles of soup. But feel free to follow your muse. Just be sure to stock up on staples before the flu bug bites.
Mediterranean
Reserve Chicken broth: 1 quart
Aromatics Saute until soft, 3-5 minutes: Onion: 1/2 small, diced in olive oil, 1 tablespoon Add broth, bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, 10-15 minutes with: Garlic: 2 whole cloves, peeled Thyme: 1 or 2 springs
Vegetables Add and simmer for 10 minutes: Baby spinach: couple of handfuls
Add and simmer about 5 minutes: Pastina: 1/2 cup
Garnish Pour soup into serving bowls and garnish with: Parmesan, grated Lemon wedges Variations: Substitute shredded broccoli rabe for spinach and any other tiny pasta for the pastina.
Add broth, bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes with: Mint: 1 sprig Thyme: 1 sprig Cumin: pinch, to taste
Vegetables Add and simmer 10 minutes: Corn: fresh or frozen, 1/2 cup Canned tomatoes, diced, with green chiles: 1 cup
Starch Divide into bowls: Tortilla chips: couple of handfuls, broken
Garnish: Pour broth and vegetables over chips and garnish with: Avocado, sliced Cheese, queso fresco, feta or jack Sour cream Cilantro, minced Lime wedges
Asian
Bring to a boil Chicken broth: 1 quart
Aromatics Add and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes: Green onion: 1, cut into 3 or 4 pieces Ginger: 2 thick slices Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon White pepper: dash
Vegetables Add and simmer for 10-15 minutes: Shitake mushrooms: 3 or 4, sliced Napa cabbage: couple of handfuls, shredded
Starch Divide into bowls: Fresh Asian noodles: 9 ounce package, cooked
Garnish Pour broth and vegetables over noodles and garnish with: Green onions, sliced thinly Cilantro or parsley, minced Chile sauce to taste Variations: Substitute bok choy or baby spinach for Napa cabbage. Replace noodles with cooked rice, potstickers or wontons.