chicken soup for the s...

SICK...I've been hit by the nasty flu since the other night...and this is what I made myself yesterday for lunch. A quick and easy chicken soup.



The classic white minestrone aka sopas in the Philippines, is simple and fresh, redolent with the flavors of sweet onions, carrots, potatoes and celery as well as the aromas of garlic and butter. Add the creaminess of the milk and it's heaven. A definite comfort food, I should say, and a kiddie fave too!

HOW-TO
cloves of garlic
onions, diced
celery, chopped
butter
carrots, diced
potatoes, diced
left-over chicken breast, diced
S/P
water
milk or cream
chives
home-made herbed croutons

IN a medium pot, heat the butter over a medium flame. Add the garlic and onions and saute until the onions are transluscent, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots and 1/2 tsp. each of S/P. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the diced chicken breast last since it's been pre-cooked and saute for another 5 minutes. Pour 2-3 cups of water, cover and simmer. Season the soup with more S/P to taste. Finally, pour a cup of milk and simmer some more. Serve on a bowl topped with home-made herbed croutons and garnish with some chopped chives. Let the hot soup comfort you!

Note: I love to add more milk on my bowl before I dive into it!:)

LP7: Gising na! Almusal! [PUSITLOG]

The typical day of the Filipino starts with Almusal - a hearty breakfast of Sinangag [fried rice] with tapa [air dried beef], tocino [cured pork], longganisa [Filipino Sausage] or fried danggit fish complemented by a cup of steaming barako coffee or thick chocolate. It is the most important meal of the day - a delicious meal that provides sturdy nutrition for a day of honest work.

In the old northern town of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Almusal can become an elaborate affair of seven viands and a choice of fresh succulent fruits: mangoes, papaya or pineapple - with chocolate and caraboa's milk on the side. The cook goes to town as early as five a.m. to buy the freshest ingredients. By the time the senora has arrived from church and the children have wakened, a veritable feast has been laid out to start the day. [source:http://www.dotpcvc.gov.ph]

This isn’t exactly how it was, as far as our ALMUSAL goes when I was growing up. Morning meals was always prepared by my mom herself. Breakfast is ready by the time I wake up together with my 2 siblings, yes…but it was my mom who laid her hands on it not the house help. For the non-Filipinos, you see, we are accustomed to having somebody as house help even if you are only considered as a middle class citizen. I remember, all we have to do is sit down and eat! As they say, I was sort of raised with a silver spoon…well, with this in consideration. Not that we are well-off, but we were taken cared of by my mom, hands-on, even if she was a working mother.

A doting mother of three, she took care of everything for us. Not until I got married and settled in Brunei that I religiously did my real chores! Even so, I had the luxury of having a great-cook-husband! So we made a compromise that he’ll handle the kitchen and everything else is mine. However, this blog came along. All of a sudden, the kitchen has become my command central!And this ultimate almusal never fails to brighten up everyone’s face. Single or married. I shall tag it, PUSITSILOG. The delectable egg/tomato omelet was one dish that I remember my mom always loves to prepare. So I have made a post about it before, since I had a craving for it that particular sunday morning. The Pusit [fried dried squid], was a pasalubong for my other cousin by his avid ex! lol! mailed from another state by her sister, along with other dried fish variety like danggit, espada and some I don't recognize anymore.

I prepared this meal a couple of weekends ago when my cousin, chefkc came over. It was indeed a hearty breakfast…with all the enchiladas, so to speak. PUSIT of course, is the star of the show. EGG and TOMATO OMELET, with an American twist since I added lots of cheese, heavy cream and a dash of dried basil. SINANGAG cooked with garlic, scallions and some left-over bacon strips. A couple or so of fresh TOMATO and not to forget, the vinegar/garlic dip on the side.

And finally, what is almusal without my everyday indulgence of brewed COFFEE glamorized with whipped cream and ground cinnamon?

And as a concluding gourmand-ic touch, a glass of ORANGE JUICE! No more space left for dessert…:) Right, KC?

ARRGGHH! *beaming* and it’s only breakfast!

A Lasang Pinoy 7: Gising na! Almusal! entry. Thanks to Joey, of 80 Breakfasts for aptly hosting.