In case you need a little pick-me-up during cold and flu season, I have permission to share with you my aunt Ann‘s mother’s magic chicken soup recipe.

Ann’s mother is Taiwanese (or, as Ann says, “like Jewish, except you know, not”), and Ann details below exactly how to make the soup.  Please note that I cannot be held responsible for poor results if you fail to follow the directions completely.

Mom’s Cure Almost Everything Chicken Soup (aka, CAE Soup)

• 1 whole free range chicken (ok, free range was my addition, but it helps)
• 1 bunch organic green onions/scallions – just drop it in whole with the roots cut off
• 1 inch ginger sliced – organic ginger is too difficult to come by (I sometimes use a bit more because I like it ginger-y)

Place all in a pot with enough water to cover and boil for 1 hour.  If you have a pressure cooker large enough, you can do it in that too. Leave it on high for about 10 minutes and let down naturally.

And this is where I deviate from Mom.  Mom says to discard the chicken.  What???  I love the chicken.  I keep the chicken.  If nothing else, use it to feed the other kids who aren’t sick.  Who doesn’t like boiled chicken?

But the broth is where all the goodness lies.  I make and drink this broth the moment I feel something coming on, or feel just plain run down.  In fact, if I feel something coming on, and I have minimal energy left, I make sure I have enough to get to the store to buy the basic ingredients.

I might put it over rice if I need filler but can’t hold anything else down.  Just make sure you skim the fat off well or you might get sick in a totally different way.

I’ve shortcut the process by using chicken parts for smaller batches, but Mom frowns on that.  I’ve tried using cornish game hens — Mom is okay with that but says it’s not the same.  (And if you’ve met my mother, you know how she can be about these things.)

There you go.  Mom’s magic elixir for the cold and flu season.

Ann

Wishing you and yours good health in the New Year,

Beth