Wednesday 28 October 2015

Pickled-Chicken Soup

          One of the joys of our recent trip to the Netherlands was my introduction to pickled-chicken soup. Now why that experience at the Rijksmuseum restaurant so impressed itself upon me, I know not. After all it was only one among countless soups made from a wide variety of ingredients. But it did impress me, so there it is. Since returning from that trip I have indulged myself - a most satisfactory enterprise - in trying to reproduce that soup. I have come up with something which, although not identical with the Dutch offering, has a certain character which was not unpleasing. Here then is a report on my culinary activity.

1.        The Pickled Chicken:-

The Marinade:

0.5 tsp of Pepper,
1 tsp of Turmeric,
1 rounded tsp of Sea Salt,
0.5 tsp of Chilli powder. (I used the relatively mild Piment d'Espelette)

Marinade 300 - 350g of white chicken meat, cut into approximately 2 - 4cm. cubes, in the refrigerator overnight. (My preferred method is to place all the ingredients in a plastic, freezer bag, working the marinade all round the chicken.)
          On the following day, add about a half-a-cup of water to a heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil, add the chicken and its marinade and bring to the boil again. Cook for about 20 mins or until the chicken is dry. Add:

Enough vegetable oil to cover,
4 Tbsp of Garlic paste*,
4 Tbsp of Ginger paste*,

until they are cooked. Add about a third of a cup of white wine vinegar if available (I was obliged to use cider vinegar) and withdraw from the heat. Shred the chicken. Transfer everything to a sterilised jar, and seal. I do not know how long this can be stored in a fridge. (I didn't give it chance to find out!)

*  I blitz a quantity of chopped garlic, or fresh ginger, in a small food processor with enough vegetable oil drizzled in to produce a nice paste. As there is no water used in this method, the resulting paste can be stored in the freezer, in shoulder-less jars for at least two months. It could be longer, but my supplies usually need to be replenished before that.

2.        The Soup.

Heat about 2 Tbsp of the pickling oil. Add a finely chopped onion (200 - 250g), and cook until translucent. Drain off the oil. Add about 200g of drained, pickled chicken and 400ml of homemade (salt-free) chicken stock. When thoroughly heated through, add salt to taste if required. The soup can be served at this stage. Alternatively, withdraw the soup from the heat, slowly whisk in about 2 Tbsp of yoghurt (or cream?), bring back to the heat, but do not boil. Serve.

          Well that is the report of my culinary experiment. If you do take your courage in both hands and try this, I hope you enjoy. We did! A very spiritual experience!

20 comments:

  1. It was all reading fine until I saw the dread word "garlic", Tom. I just cannot eat anything which contains it. So anathema is it to me that I think I must come from vampire stock! (Must admit I like my steaks red)

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    1. Sorry Avus, I momentarily forgot your blood-line hails from Transylvania, allegedly :) You could try the dish without the garlic, but I wouldn't advise taking your chicken raw!

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  2. It is interesting to note that the very best way to find a new recipe is to taste the dish first. Reading your recipe, I have to admit, is not enticing me to go to the work, and that is often the case with really fine food it seems. I will have to decide whether your say-so is enough.
    Please elaborate on Cook for about 20 mins or until the chicken is dry. I'm thinking this means the half cup of liquid is evaporated and the chicken has no liquid left on it.
    What fun to experiment and attempt replication of a fine culinary experience.

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    1. Hullo Halle; Please don't feel under any obligation to 'go to the work'. I just thought it might be a fun thing to post, particularly as I am a little stuck about writings related to "matters psycho-spiritual." One has to be careful that the chicken doesn't burn, which would spoil the taste. So, although I usually have a little liquid left with the chicken which is included with the oil and other ingredients, it is possible that all the water will evaporate sooner. The important thing is that the chicken is cooked through, thus preventing the rubbery texture that can come about when only fried.

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    2. No fears Tom. You have hit a soft spot here. I love to cook and a new and different soup to try is quite irresistible.

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    3. I'd be interested to know how it turns out.

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  3. thank you, tom! i think you have a fine future ahead as a travel and food blogger. between your insight and humour, and the lovely photos you both take (btw, where is the photo of the soup?!), i think you're going to be a raging success!!!

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    1. Ah dear Agnieszka; So keen was I to down my chicken concoction that I clean forgot to photograph it. A raging success uh?

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    2. well, you have the *potential* for raging success. but my faith in you remains unshaken and unwavering!

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    3. Ah! A lovely friend indeed.

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  4. And what was Lucy doing while the chef was at work? Since I'm all 'cookinged' out I'll opt for doing what she was doing.

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    1. Hullo Ellena; Said wife was probably knitting, or reading a Patrick O'Brien novel. Cheffing can be a lonely life, forsooth!

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  5. Sounds mouth-watering! May I borrow you as a cook in my kitchen? I'm a lazy cook these days but might be tempted on a more energetic day!

    'Pickled' sounded very odd to me, usually bringing up images of veggies swimming in lots of vinegar, but that may be a cultural difference in wording; 'marinated' sounds much more correct in this context to us on the other side of the world.

    Will we be blessed with more features from the Kitchen of Tom?

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    1. Hullo Marja-Leena; You may certainly borrow me, if something can be negotiated between you and Lucy. :)

      I tend to agree with your comment about 'pickled' - which can also mean intoxicated! That state of affairs could never be applied to Canadians of course. I get the feeling that you and Polish Chick are plotting behind my back. If a suitable occasion arises, I will reveal all.

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  6. This certainly does sound delicious. Unfortunately, for me, one of the gastronomic differences I have with my husband is that he likes neither garlic or ginger. Thus my enjoyment of this wonderful soup will have to wait until I come to visit Brittany :)

    I shall tell you sometime about the difficulties of trying to maintain a largely vegetarian lifestyle in company with someone who doesn't much like vegetables.

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    1. Just let us know when you're coming, Susan. :)

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  7. I have printed out your recipe and perhaps shall try it one of these days. If so, I'll let you know how I fare. It sounds unique and delicious.

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    1. Hullo Bruce; I await with interest, but no rush.

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  8. Cooking is definitely an art form and recipes sometimes read like art-instruction and yours certainly sounds like a fun and colourful experiment which I will try some time, a bit modified to my palate - the 'pickling' will need to be milder. Don't know why I've never developed tolerance to very spicy food in spite of all the curries around!

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    1. Dear Natalie; I hope you too have fun with this. And if it comes about that you try this, I would be interested to read of your modifications.

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