22 November, 2015

CHICKEN SOUP WITH SEMOLINA DUMPLINGS

Comments : 3 Posted in : CHICKEN FASHION SHOW, COMFORT FOOD, SUPPENKASPER on November 22, 2015 by : blonDISHious Tags: allspice, bay leaf, carrots, Chicken, chicken soup, dumplings, juniper berries, leek, Mushrooms, nutmeg, onion, orange, parsnips, saffron, semolina, semolina dumplings, sherry, soup, tomato

We all long for homely warmth when it is cold and unpleasant outside. Don’t we? But sometimes the heat that comes from a radiator or a thick jumper doesn’t do the job to our full satisfaction. Sometimes we need some warmth that goes deeper…all the way into our tummies to warm us up from the inside.

For me there is nothing better than a hot soup on a freezing winter’s day. Especially when I suffer from a bad cold. One of my favourites is chicken soup. It is delicious and comforting. Scientific studies even say it is a cold remedy. A compound found in chicken soup can help the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of a bad cold. True or not, it tastes just lovely, pleases my taste buds and therefore makes me feel better just like the other day when I was under the weather. And now it is helping to cure my boyfriend…sorry for passing the bug, Schatz! 😁

So, for those of you that suffer from a cold but also for those who simply enjoy some comfort food I would love to share my favourite chicken soup recipe with yummy semolina dumplings.

And here we go:

INGREDIENTS:
Semolina dumplings:
150 ml veggie stock
150 ml cream (or milk)
130 gr semolina
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of grounded saffron (or saffron threads)
1/2 tbs of butter
1 egg
1/2 ts zest of orange
salt & pepper

Soup:
6 chicken thighs
1 large onion
olive oil
3 l of water
2 carrots
1 celery
2 parsnips
5 – 6 mushrooms
5 – 6 cherry tomatoes
2 slices of ginger
1 leek
2 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 ts peppercorns
2 – 4 juniper berries
salt & pepper
2 tbs sherry
fresh herbs (chives or parsley) for decoration

METHOD:

Put a small amount of oil in a large pan.
Heat up the pan on a medium heat.
Add the chicken thighs and cook on each side until slightly brown.
Cut the onion in halves. Don’t peel it!!! The skin gives the soup a nice colour and flavour.
Add the onion halves with cutted side facing down in the pan next to the chicken pieces.
Put the kettle on and boil approx. 3 litres of water.
Pour the hot water in a large pot.
When the chicken thighs and the onion turned light brown add them to the hot water. So not add salt yet!
Simmer for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime make the semolina dumplings as follows:

Put veggie stock & milk in a small saucepan on a medium heat.
When it start to simmer add semolina and stir quickly with a whip or a wooden spoon. Take it off the hob. You will notice that the dough becomes firm.
Add the egg, butter, nutmeg, saffron, zest of orange and season to taste.
Take a teaspoon of the dough, put it in the palm of your hand and gently roll it between your hands into small balls (size of a grape).
Cook the balls in hot, salty water.
They are done when they start floating to the top.
Take them out of the hot water with a skimmer and set aside until chicken soup is ready.

Now roughly chop peeled carrots & parsnips, leek and celery sticks.
Wash tomatoes and mushrooms and cut in halves.
Cut 2 slices of ginger off the root and peel.
After the chicken & onion simmered for about 30 minutes add all veggies and spices (peppercorns, bay leaf, allspice & juniper berries).
Let simmer for another 30 – 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes take the chicken thighs out of the pot and set aside.
Drain the veggies but make sure you collect all of the liquid as this is the stock you need for your soup!
Collect the carrots, the parsnips, the leek slices and the mushroom pieces off the sieve. The rest of the veggies and spices can go (or save them for veggies balls). They already did their job by giving all their goodies and nice flavours to the soup.
Skin the chicken thighs and peel the meat from the bone. The skin & bones can go to waste.
Put the stock back on the hob and add the chicken pieces.
Cut the veggies in smaller pieces and add to soup as well.
Season to taste and add 2 tablespoons of sherry for a final and special twist.
Serve with semolina dumplings and sprinkle with fresh herbst (chives or parsley) if you like.

Enjoy!

Have a blonDISHious day,
Sabrina xxx