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? It’s tough to avoid viruses this time of year, especially if you’re among the multitudes who didn’t score a flu shot this season.
Happily, there’s 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 it’s not hard to make your own — even if you’re 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 Swanson’s.
You don’t 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.
