When the temps are in the teens and the chickens are secure, it is time to experiment in the kitchen. We had a roasted chicken this week so I have a nice broth with which to start. One should never let a roasted chicken carcass go to waste.
How many ways can one make chicken soup?
I start with dried garden peas. I bring water to a boil and add salt and peas. I boil the peas for two minutes, cover the pan, then turn off the heat. The peas rehydrate for 30 minutes.
They are not as soft as canned peas. My man is a texture person. He likes pudding and overcooked veggies. I could eat them, and so could he in an emergency, but he wouldn’t like them. Does salt affect the texture? Perhaps the peas should be boiled like dried beans.
So, change of plans. I get a can of sweet peas out of the pantry, but I’ll go ahead with the other dried veggies—carrots, onions, and celery. I’m a seat-of-the-pants cook, but for you guys, I’m measuring. Here’s the recipe.
About 1/3 of a 16-oz package of lasagna corte (dried corn noodles)
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried diced carrots
1 tablespoon dried diced onions
1 teaspoon dried diced celery
1 15-oz can of sweet peas, drained
leftover chicken, if you have any
seasoning to taste
Add pasta to boiling, salted water. Boil briskly ten minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Drain.
Combine broth and dried veggies. Bring to a boil. When they have boiled five minutes, stir in cooked pasta and remaining ingredients. Return to boil, cover and turn heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.
The verdict? This is comforting, hearty, and easy. It’s definitely another recipe to add to the chicken soup file.
Apocalypse Farm 