It seems like more than half the people around here are sick with some seasonal ailment. Whether it's a slight cold, some nausea, a full-fledged case of the flu, or simple fatigue, this time of year is ripe for illness. And with the snow looming in tonight's forecast, what sounds better than a bowl of hot chicken soup? And who knows soup better than Emeril Legasse? Well, someone may, but do they say, "Bam!"? We didn't think so.
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Colombian Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, skinned and cut into 8 pieces, plus 1 whole chicken breast, skinned and cut in 1/2
1 medium onion, quartered
2 medium carrots, cut into 4 pieces
1 medium rib celery, cut into 4 pieces
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, stems only (leaves reserved for soup)
For the soup:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium rib celery, finely chopped
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lemon or lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Bijol (available at Spanish grocery stores) or a pinch each of ground cumin and saffron threads
For the salsa:
1 large very ripe tomato, halved, seeded, and finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and mashed into a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon or lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and very finely minced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
Salt
Directions
Combine all the ingredients for the stock in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, skimming any foam from the top of the stock as it simmers, until the chicken is fall-from-the-bone tender. Add water, as necessary, to keep the stock ingredients covered.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding everything except the boiled chicken, and return the stock to the rinsed-out pot. Remove the chicken from the bones and shred it into small pieces. Set aside.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes to the stock and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
While the soup is simmering, combine the lemon or lime juice, garlic, cilantro leaves, scallions, oil, Bijol, and a tablespoon of the soup broth in a small bowl and mash into a paste with a fork.
Also while the soup is simmering, prepare the salsa by combining all ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl and mixing well. Season, to taste, with salt just before serving.
When the potatoes are tender, add the reserved chicken and seasoning paste to the soup and stir well to combine. Allow the soup to return to a simmer, then remove from the heat, and let sit, covered, 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with a spoonful of salsa.