As I mentioned earlier this week, I was hit hard by a stomach bug and it’s slowly gotten everyone in my house. My wife is the last victim, but we’re all looking to be in the clear before Thanksgiving, which… thank God.
Obviously, when you’re hit with something like this, your stomach is very tender and you have to go easy on it. Broth is vital, and the classic sick food is chicken noodle soup. Considering what I had available, it wasn’t too hard to come up with something that would be good to the taste buds and to our stomachs.
Ginger is good for nausea and vomiting, garlic aids in digestion, and onions and green onions also have some health benefits. That right there is a solid base for a good, Asian-influenced broth. Rounding it out is the use of chicken bones from a couple of Walmart rotisserie chickens and you have a good chicken broth.
Here’s the recipe for the broth. You can add ramen noodles, leftover rotisserie chicken, and an egg (see the picture above) for a chicken ramen bowl, or you can just sip the broth for your upset stomach.
Ginger Chicken Broth
2 Rotisserie chicken carcasses
1 large yellow onion
1 bunch green onions, cut into large chunks
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Ginger, cut into large chunks
Salt, to taste
Special Equipment:
Cheesecloth
Strainer
Get most of the meat off the chicken bones. You don’t have to strip them clean, as the meat also adds flavor to the broth.
Bring a stock pot of water to a boil, then blanch the bones for no more than 30 seconds. Remove the bones, drain the pot and put in fresh water.
Put the bones and chopped vegetables into the stock pot and bring the water to a boil. Once it’s at a rolling boil, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it cook at least three hours.
Remove the bones and vegetables and set aside (if you like, keep the mushrooms for your soup later). Toss when cool.
Set a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a second pot and, using a measuring cup, start transferring the broth from one pot to another, filtering out any impurities and bits of chicken and vegetables. You’ll be left with a clean broth. Toss the cheesecloth.
For the ramen: Use storebought ramen noodles. Prepare as directed, except don’t use the flavor packet. When the noodles are cooked, drain and replace the water with the broth. Add a boiled egg, nori, etc. if you like. Use leftover rotisserie chicken for your primary protein. Enjoy.
In Other News…
I have… a lot of thoughts on the Rittenhouse trial, the rhetoric in the aftermath, and the state of things. I don’t think a column will suffice. Be on the lookout for an audio commentary later this weekend or early next week.