Try this lovely chicken and vegetable soup to warm you up on chilly Winter nights
Ingredients
- 6 skinless chicken thighs
- 600 ml21 fl oz fresh chicken stock (make as below)
- 2 thin slices of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, bruised
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 2 sticks of celery, diced
- 350 g12 oz carrots, peeled and small diced
- 250 g9 oz parsnips, peeled and diced
- 250 g9 oz potatoes, peeled and diced
- 250 g8¾ oz broccoli, cut in small pieces
- 115 shredded cabbage (add with broc in step 5)
- 115 g4 oz frozen peas
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
Method: How to make Chicken and Winter vegetable soup
Put the chicken in a large saucepan or stockpot. Fill with water (about 2½ litres) and add the ginger, garlic, thyme and bay leaves, peppercorns and ½ the onions, ½ the celery and ½ the carrots.
Bring just to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken and allow to cool slightly then cut the meat into shreds or dice and discard the bones. Set aside until ready to use.
Continue to simmer the stock, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes or so to reduce by half. Strain the stock and return to the heat. Skim away any fat that is floating on the surface.
Add the rest of the onions, celery and carrots, parsnips and potatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the broccoli, cabbage and peas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Season to taste and sprinkle with the parsley.
Hint: to get rid of the fat in the stock use a baster, or soak up with sheets of paper towel, or put some ice cubes in a plastic bag and drag over the stock's surface, as the ice melts, the fat will congeal around the bag.
