Monday, August 28, 2006

CALDO de POLLO, misen place


Every culture has its own heartwarming and comforting soup; In Mexico it’s called Caldo de Pollo. It is a clear stew of chicken with flavorful vegetables and savory herbs. In English, it’s essentially chicken soup. Certainly other customs have another name for it as well along with their own precious ingredients. I’ve playfully taken the pleasure of incorporating these various influences and created a especially brilliant soupy dish which for me is simply,…dinner.



CALDO DE POLLO

Whole Chicken, chopped
3 Celery stalks, chopped
4 Red Rose potatoes, small size
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Onion, large
6 oz. Green beans, ends snapped
Head of Cabbage, quartered
8 oz. Squash, large dice
2 whole Corn, fresh or frozen and chopped
2 Plantain Banana, chopped
Coriander, chopped
3 oz. Ginger
Bay leaf
Black pepper corn
Star anise
2 tsp. fried Garlic (available in asian stores)
1 quart of water
Salt

Boil chopped chicken parts and onions in water with salt, seasoned with black pepper corn, star anise, cloves, and ginger wrapped in a cheese cloth, "sachet". Bring the broth down to a simmer after it had boiled. Allow chicken to cook, carefully skimming off the scum that forms on the surface. Add the potatoes followed with green beans, carrot, plantain, squash, celery, cabbages and corn. Let the vegetables cook then adjust the salt. Finish with chopped coriander and sprinkle with fried garlic.

Note: Discard the bag of herbs before service.

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