Listen to Me Pie Lady: February 2015

My man has a big-time bad-arse cold, and I'm trying to make him well. AND, with full-disclosure let me say, I'm hoping the chicken soup cure will also be a preventative for me, because baby, I don't want that bug! Just in the nick of time comes a immunity-fighting recipe from the website, Well+Good (if you don't know about it, check it out--it's a great one). They grabbed it from the the website Crunchy Radish. I added a few additions of my own, and in after 4 hours, we had some luxurious chicken soup, the smell of its lime juice still clinging to my fingertips as I type now. Here is my re-creation in pictures.

Here's the end result first. Mmm. So steamy and good!

Kman is allergic to olive oil--yes, unbelievable--so I use healthy coconut oil instead in a heavy, well-seasoned pan. My workhorse Calphalon, in this case.

Season chicken with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Use a 3 lb. mixture of chicken breasts and thigh meat. The recipe calls for skinless, but I used an organic bit of thigh pieces with a little skin and thigh bone. It adds good flavor.

Don't crowd the chicken. I did these in 3 batches, 5-8 mins. per side. The chicken isn't meant to be cooked through--just a sear.

Mmm. Wonderful bits on the bottom of the pan. Keep that delicious flavor!

Inflammation-fighting urmeric.

Add spice to pan to roast it.

Dried oregano, too.

Come to me, oh mighty rhizome!

Grate 2 T. of fresh ginger. I have a white, ceramic dish specifically for grating ginger. I've had it for about 15 years, and it catches all the ginger juice. It's been in the stored in the same place for all those years, up until 3 weeks ago when I rearranged some things. Do you think I could find it?

Note to self: DON'T reorganize!

Throw in the juice, too!

Flying carrots!

Ginger, spices, garlic, one white onion, carrots, celery.

America's Test Kitchen rated ol' RR's stock (actually, it was Beef Stock) as one of the best. Who knew?! I decided to give this product a whirl--not usually what I use. The original recipe calls for vegetable stock and just for 5 cups. I used chicken stock and 8 cups instead.

I added an uncalled for bay leaf.

Had to switch to a big stock pot at this point.

You'll always see this bit of muck as a chicken soup comes to a boil Just skim, and move on! Lower to a simmer for 1 1/2 hrs.

I also added lovely shitake mushrooms at the very end, as a personal addition.

Into the bowl: baby kale, freshly chopped dill, and lime juice.

First the kale.

Mmm. A big scoop from the bottom of chicken goodness. By the way, I easily broken up the chicken with a long-handled oversized spoon while it was still in the pot.