Warm soup for that nasty cold

Grandmothers around the world tout their chicken soup as being good for what ails you. Chicken soup has been hailed as a cure for the common cold and an antihistamine (and even nicknamed “Jewish penicillin” – a nod to moms who have served it up to their sick kids.) Grandma may be on to something - the fabled healing properties of old-fashioned chicken soup has garnered a growing body of scientific evidence:

• Pulmonary specialist and professor at the UCLA School for Medicine, Irwin Ziment, M.D., has shown an amino acid released from chicken during cooking chemically resembles the drug acetylcysteine, prescribed for bronchitis and other respiratory problems and found in some cold medications.

• Spices such as garlic and pepper - ancient treatments for respiratory diseases - work by thinning mucus and make breathing easier.

• The steam itself may be the real benefit - sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps to temporarily clear congestion.

While there is no conclusive evidence of a cure-all, it does seem probable that chicken soup helps alleviate annoying symptoms. At the very least, chicken soup provides a hot comforting meal and re-hydration. So as Grandma told you - slurp up when you're feeling under the weather.


Chicken soup
Ingredients:

2 cups (500 mL) each sliced carrots and celery
1 cup (250 mL) chopped onions
1 tbsp (15 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
3 cups (750 mL) broad egg noodles
1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen or canned peas
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Stock:
5 lb (2.2 kg) chicken legs
16 cups (4 L) water
2 each carrots and staIks celery, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp (5 mL) each salt and dried thyme
1/2 tsp (2 mL) whole peppercorns

Preparation:
Stock: In stockpot, bring chicken and water to boil; skim off foam. Add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, salt, thyme and peppercorns; simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 2 hours.

Remove chicken; cover and refrigerate. Strain soup through cheesecloth-lined sieve into large bowl, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Refrigerate for 12 hours or until fat congeals on surface. Lift off and discard fat.

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring stock to simmer. Add carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper; cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; add to soup. Add noodles; cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in peas and parsley.

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Hot Spicy Soup

2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock
6 slices gingerroot
6 cloves garlic, sliced
6 dried hot red peppers
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
1 stalk lemongrass
8 oz (250 g) catfish fillets, cut in chunks, or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can (398 mL) baby corn, drained and halved
1 cup (250 mL) button mushrooms, halved
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Quarter sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh coriander
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lime rind
2 tbsp (25 mL) lime juice
Preparation:
In saucepan, bring chicken stock, 2 cups (500 mL) water, ginger, garlic, hot peppers and sugar to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through fine sieve and return to pot.

Trim dry ends off lemongrass; peel away any tough outer leaves. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths; add to pot. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate until cold. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Add fish, corn, mushrooms and green onions; bring to simmer and simmer until fish flakes easily when tested, about 3 minutes. Stir in red pepper, coriander and lime rind and juice.