Three Chinese Bone Soups for Healing

There is a new trend in NYC that I wish would spread to other cities. People are lining up to order Bone Broth in a take away cup instead of coffee or tea. It's not a new idea to drink bone broth, it is however new to make it a fast food as making bone broth actually takes a very long time to make!  And the Chinese never mixed different kinds of bones. Instead, they served one kind of bone soup at a time and for different reasons.  

I grew up drinking various bone soups to enhance my immune system, strengthen my small bones and to give me energy and I continue this practice as an adult. Bones contain many minerals that support the kidneys and help them retain the fluids that we need.  I recommend soup to almost everyone when I teach.

As a child, I was often overtired and had big dark circles. My grandfather was always concerned about my health and pushed me to eat more soup. Actually, he pushed soup towards me at almost every meal! I also had little bones and he wanted to be sure that I had enough calcium since I didn't drink milk, so he would make me three different kinds of bone soups made from Pork Bones, Chicken Bones and Beef Bones. These soups were designed to be drunk from a mug, like a cup of tea and were the base broths for many other soups, but for me, they were all about love and healing.  

Chicken broth is something I had every time I got sick as a child, which was often and has been shown to relieve congestion and tames the inflammation of the mucus membranes of the throat. When I had my first baby, my mother made pots and pots of chicken soup - made with black chickens. I drank so much that my son smelled like chicken broth! But, I've since learned that it was not just helping me recover from a difficult childbirth experience, it was also bringing in more milk. 

When my son broke his leg playing soccer, I reverted to making soup as the way to get him to heal fast. I made these three bone soups in succession over the course of three weeks.  I also fed him lots of Korean Seaweed.  At his checkup three weeks later, his doctor was amazed at how well his bones had healed. He asked me what I had done and I had to admit that I had fed him lots of bone soup and seaweed.  His break looked like he had been healing for 4 months!  

Since then, whenever I have a friend or client with a broken bone or a diagnosis of Osteoporosis or is just plain tired, I recommend these three Bone Soups in this order: one week of Pork Bone Soup, one week of Chicken Bone Soup and one week of Beef Bone Soup. The secret to these Soups is to add a small amount of acid - vinegar or acid in some of the vegetables - to get more of the minerals out of the bones or cook with lots of root vegetables that add even more minerals. For the Beef Bone Soup, make sure that you get bones with marrow in them as that is the most important part of the bone for that soup and if you want to help someone with tendon problems, use beef shanks or oxtails.

For those of you who don't eat Pork, you can skip that Bone Soup and move on to the Chicken and Beef Soups, but then I would eat more Seaweed. And, for the Vegetarians out there, I will post a Vegetarian version soon. If you want, you can also mix your bones together, but the Chinese wouldn't do that. They might mix Pork and Chicken but not Pork and Beef or Chicken and Beef, but it's up to you.

These are soups designated for healing and not for a main dish soup. But they do make  excellent soup bases too if you should like to use them that way. And, these are not soups where you keep the meat or vegetables that are cooked. You have to cook them long enough that there's no flavor left in the meat or vegetables to make rich, nutrient dense soups that will make your kidneys and bones happy!

Pork Bone Soup

1 pound of Pork Bones (preferably Neck Bones)

Enough Water to Just Cover the Pork Bones

EnoughWater to Cook the Pork Bone Soup

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Salt

Optional:  2 cups of Soybean Sprouts

Place Pork Bones in a soup pot and add water to jut cover the bones. Bring to a boil and turn off when the scum rises to the surface. Throw out all of the water and then refill the pot so that there is about 4 inches of water covering the bones.  Add vinegar and salt and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on low for 3 hours or more. Cool and strain broth. If desired, reheat and cook Soybean Sprouts in the soup for about 15 minutes before serving. Otherwise, reheat one cup at a time to boiling and serve in a mug. Season with additional sea salt if desired.

Chicken Bone Soup

1 pound of Chicken Drumsticks

1 large yellow onion, stem ends removed and cut into chunks (can leave peel on)

1 Celery Root, washed and cut into chunks

2 large carrots, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks

2 - 3 Parsnips, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks

2 large Celery Stalks, washed and cut into chunks

1 - 2 Turnips, washed, stem and ends removed and cut into chunks

2 - 3 teaspoons of salt

10 - 12 cups of Water

In a large soup pot, put in chicken thighs and all the root vegetables. Cover with water up to 4 to 5 inches above the chicken. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Taste and add salt. Strain broth and serve individual portions reheated and poured into a mug. Season with additional sea salt if desired.

Beef Bone Soup

4 - 5 pound Beef leg bones, 

1 large Onion, stems removed and cut into chunks (leave skin on)

2 large Carrots, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks

2 - 3 stalks of Celery, cut up

3 Large Tomatoes cut up

12 cups of Water

3 teaspoons Salt

1 Bay Leaf

Handful of Parsley

Put beef bones in a large soup pot and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil until the foam rises. Drain water and rinse the bones. Put back into the pot with the water, vegetables, Parsley and Bay Leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Skim additional foam as it rises. Cook for 3 hours. Cool and scrape out the marrow if possible and add back into the soup. Strain and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, heat up one cup at a time and serve in a mug and season with additional sea salt if desired. 

Five Element Analysis

Soups, and especially broths are a Water Element food. But, each soup is made with  a different kind of bone. Pork Bones belong to the Water Element, Chicken Bones to the Wood Element and Beef Bones to the Earth Element. The Soybean Sprouts contribute the Wood Element to the Pork Bone Soup and the Celery adds more of the Wood Element to the Chicken Soup.  However, the Celery Root is an Earth Element vegetable as are the Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips in the Chicken Soup. Onions add the Metal Element to the Chicken and Beef Soups and the Parsley and Bay Leaf add even more Metal to the Beef Soup. Tomatoes contribute the Fire Element to the Beef Soup. The Pork Soup is for tonifying (nourishing) the kidneys. The Chicken Soup starts adding essential nutrients and supports the Liver and Stomach.  The Beef Soup is for enhancing the blood and energy.

Vegetable "Bone" Broth

I was just teaching at CICM in Reading, England and a number of the students there asked me how to make the equivalent of Bone Soup for Vegetarians, which of course is made out of bones, and the answer is lots of root vegetables!  The purpose of Bone Soup (a previous post) is to enhance the mineral content of the body. The Bone Soups made of bones work by leaching the minerals out of Pork Bones, Chicken Bones and Beef Bones. This Vegetable Bone Soup gets the minerals out of the vegetables instead and it is very good for your bones! So, what's important when you are making a Vegetarian Bone Soup is that you leave the peels on the vegetables as that is where most of the minerals are. I like to brown the first group of vegetables - Onion, Carrots, Parsnips, Leeks and Turnips and Celery in Olive Oil to get them a bit caramelized. Then I add in the liquid and the other vegetables. If you want to make it a richer flavor, you can add in some tomatoes, which I often do but didn't have any today here at my friend's house in Bath. You can also use many other vegetables and even potatoes depending on what you have on hand.  Basically, the more vegetables you add, the richer the flavor and mineral content of the soup.  Or, you use Vegetable Broth to enhance the flavor, but I like the clean, pure flavor of this soup without the prepackaged broth. I'm not a Vegetarian, but this soup really satisfies. You can just drink the broth, but I like to eat the vegetables too.  It feeds your Kidneys and Bones because it is full of minerals and best of all, it  tastes so good!

Vegetable "Bone" Broth

1 large Onion, peeled and chopped

2 - 3 Carrots, stem ends removed and chopped up (do not peel)

1 - 2 Parsnips, stem ends removed and chopped up (do not peel)

1 Turnip, stem ends removed and chopped up (do not peel)

2 stalks of Celery cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Leek, White and Pale Green part only, cut in quarters and sliced, then washed

8 cups Water

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

1/2 Savoy Cabbage, chopped

Handful of Green Beans, stem end removed and cut into small pieces

Optional:  2 Roma Tomatoes, stem end removed and cut into small pieces. Winter Squash, cut into small pieces, and/or Broccoli and Cauliflower or Potatoes cut up with the peels left on.

In a large soup pot, put in the Olive Oil and heat.  Add in the Onion, Leeks, Carrots, Parsnips, Turnip and Celery. Cook until the onions soften and just begin to brown. Add in the Water and Salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the Cabbage and Green Beans and any other vegetables and cook an additional 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with Pepper before serving.  

Five Element Analysis

Carrots, Parsnips and Cabbage belong the Earth Element and the Turnip adds even more, although it is a pungent vegetable so it is also considered a Metal food. The Onion and Leek contribute even more of the Metal Element. The Celery and Green Beans bring in the Wood Element and a broth Soup by it's very nature is part of the Water Element.  Only the little bit of Pepper contributes the Fire Element, so it is wise to add the Tomatoes to make this a Five Element Soup!

Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Since visiting the Viet Wah grocery store, I got excited about making Vietnamese food at home and one of my favorite dishes is Pho. This is one of the national dishes of Vietnam. Some people think that it was influenced by the French Pot au Feu, but the Northern Vietnamese swear they were making this before the French arrived. 

If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I love soup and Pho is the equivalent of a Beef Bone Broth with delightful Asian flavors. I go to Vietnamese restaurants quite regularly to order this wonderful soup as it is so nourishing and so delicious! This soup builds blood and it turns out that it is a lot easier to make than you think. I got to talking with one of the cashiers at the market and she told me how she makes it, so this is the recipe you are getting today. It took a total of 3 hours to make the broth, which can be done ahead. The Beef Broth is cooked with charred Onion and Ginger first and then with Star Anise, Cinnamon and Clove. These lovely spices make the house smell wonderful and give the broth it's exotic flavor! 

I used a combination of Beef Neck Bones along with Beef Shank with the bone in. Shank is one of those meats that can be cooked for a really long time and then still tastes good. Oxtails, Beef Brisket and Beef Marrow Bones are also recommended. If you want to be like the Vietnamese restaurants, you can add some very thinly sliced Beef Round to the Rice Noodles and pour the broth over, which cooks the meat. This version is called Pho Tai. You can also make Vietnamese Meatballs, which can be bought frozen at Vietnamese Markets. I'll post a recipe for these soon. The garnishes for Pho include Thai Basil, Cilantro, Green Onions, Thinly sliced Red Onion, Fresh Bean Sprouts and Sliced Jalapeños as well as slices of Lime to squeeze on top. Seasoned to taste with Sriracha and Hoisin sauce, it is a wonderful meal that is eaten as breakfast in Vietnam, but is so good any time of the day! 

Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

2 pound Beef Neck Bones

2 pounds Beef Shank, bone in
Optional:  Beef Brisket or Oxtails in equal amounts

Water to cover and blanch

16 cups Water to make broth

1 large Onion, unpeeled

1 3-inch piece of Ginger, skin on

1 Cinnamon Stick (about 1 1/2 - 2 inches long)

1 large Star Anise or 2-3 smaller ones

1 whole Clove

3 - 4 teaspoons Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

1 pound package of dried Rice Noodles

For Garnish:  

Fresh Beansprouts, one handful per serving (about 1/2 cup)

3 Green Onions, trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced Red Onion

1/2 cup Cilantro Leaves

Thai Basil - about 6 - 8 leaves per bowl

Two Limes, cut into 6 slices each

2 Jalapeño Peppers, cut into thin rings

Optional:  1 pound thinly sliced Beef Top Round or Vietnamese Beef Meatballs

For Serving:  Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce

Heat oven to Broil. Put in Onion and Ginger on a baking sheet and cook until the skin is charred, turning once. Remove from oven when done and peel onion and cut into quarter.  Cut Ginger into thin slices.

Meanwhile, in a large Soup Pot, put in the Beef Neck Bones and Beef Shanks. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat for 3 minutes.  Drain and add in fresh water and put in the Onion and Garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim any foam that comes to the surface. Cook for 2 hours.  

Then add in the Star Anise, Cinnamon, Clove, Salt, Sugar and Pepper.Add a little extra water if the level has gone down a lot. Simmer for an additional one hour. Then cool down the soup and remove the bones and meat. Cut the meat up into small pieces, discarding fat and gristle. Strain the broth to remove the Onions, Ginger and Spices. The broth can then be put into the refrigerator or freezer for later use. 

Once you are ready to make the Noodle Soup, cook the Rice Noodles in boiling water or 3 - 5 minutes (or as package instructions suggest). Drain and rinse with cold water.  Put into individual bowls about 1/3 of the bowl. Add in the sliced Beef or Meatballs. Reheat the Broth until boiling and ladle over the noodles and meat, being sure to scoop up some of the chopped Beef Shank. Serve with Garnishes and Sauces and add to individual taste.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always considered part of the Water Element and this soups is made with Bones, which makes it even more Watery. But it is made of Beef Shank and that kind of meat belongs to the Earth Element. The Ginger, Spices, Cilantro, Thai Basil along with the Green and Red Onion contribute the Metal Element and the Rice Noodles add even more Metal. The Bean Sprouts and Lime Juice bring in the Wood Element. The Fire Element is seen in the Sriracha and Jalapeños, making this a perfectly balanced bowl of soup!

Pennsylvania Dutch White Bean Soup

I've been sick for the first time in a long time and decided to make an old classic from my German grandmother - White Bean Soup. This is her Pennsylvania Dutch version and was one of my father's favorite soups. I took the picture before it was fully done as when you cook it longer, it turns into a creamy white and I wanted you to see what was in this delicious soup. I had a leftover hambone (a spiral sliced ham to be exact) in the freezer from Easter. It still had lots of ham on it so I put it directly into the pot still frozen, added water and the White Beans that had previously been soaking and cooked it up for two hours Then I took out the bone and added in lightly sautéed Carrots, Celery, Onion, Bay Leaf and Thyme and cooked it for another hour. Meanwhile, I cut all the ham off the bone that I could and then added it back in before serving.  It was so delicious!  The only thing I didn't do was to add Rivels - a Pennsylvania Dutch version of Spaetzle or little handmade noodles but I wanted to keep it Gluten Free. I added the recipe in case you want to add it as it does add another wonderful chewy texture to the soup. This is a warming, homey, nourishing and deeply delicious bowl of goodness!

Pennsylvania Dutch White Bean Soup

2 cups small White Beans, soaked in water overnight

8 cups diluted Chicken Broth (half canned broth and half water)

1 meaty Ham Bone (from a  Spiral Sliced Ham)

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 Large Bay Leaf

1 large Onion, minced

3 Carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks of Celery, cut into small pieces

1 Tablespoon Butter

Drain the beans and add to a large soup pot with the Chicken Broth and the Ham Bone. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to maintain a simmer Cover and cook for 2 hours Remove the Hambone and put aside.  In a large frying pan, heat the butter and add in the Onions, Carrots and Celery.  Cook until the onion is translucent. Then add to the Bean Soup pot. Cook for an additional one hour. Remove the ham from the bone and chop. Add back to the soup to serve.

If adding Rivels, return the Bean Soup to a boil and crumble the Rivels into the Soup (recipe below). Cover tightly and cook for 10 minutes - no peeking!

Rivels

1 cup Flour

1 Egg, well beaten

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Place flour in a mixing bowl and add in the Milk, Egg and Salt. Mi together with a fork until the mixture comes together in crumbles. Pick up the pieces of dough and drop into the soup in pieces as small as you can make them. 

Five Element Analysis

Beans belong to the Metal Element and this is a fairly broth based soup so it definitely comes from the Water Element. The Ham adds even more of the Water Element. The Celery and Chicken Broth contribute the Wood Element and if you make the Rivels, the wheat flour adds even more Wood.  The Carrots bring in the Earth Element and the Onions, Bay Leaf and Thyme add the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element is missing, so serving this soup with a Lettuce and Tomato salad would make it a completely balanced Five Element meal!

Seaweed Soup

It's that time of year for me to make lots of soup and last night I made one one of my childhood favorites - Seaweed Soup. I was given this soup a lot when I didn't sleep enough as it is so good for your Kidneys. This is a simple soup using Nori Seaweed - the same kind used for Sushi. It is added to Chicken Broth - preferably homemade - with bits of ground pork, which is traditional or ground chicken and cubes of tofu. You could add clams if you like too. It is garnished with Green Onions and seasoned with a bit of Tamari and Toasted Sesame Oil. You can easily make it vegetarian by using Vegetable Broth or Miso. It comes together in minutes and it tastes like the sea. It cooks in no time at all and is warm and nurturing. Although it is not a bone broth, the Seaweed is full of minerals, so this soup is also very good for your bones!  

Seaweed Soup

8 cups Chicken Broth (preferably homemade) - dilute 1/3 with water if using canned broth

1/4 cup ground Pork or ground Chicken

1/2 pound Firm Tofu, cut into small cubes

1 package of Nori Seaweed (10 Sheets), cut into small squares with scissors

3 Green Onions, sliced fine

2 - 3 Tablespoons Tamari

2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil

Sprinkling of White Pepper to serve

Bring the Chicken Broth to a boil in a soup pot. When boiling, add in the ground Pork or Chicken and stir briskly to separate the clumps. Add in the Tofu and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add in the Nori Seaweed, Green Onions, Tamari and Sesame Oil. Serve in large bowls and sprinkle White Pepper on top.

Five Element Analysis

Soup belongs to the Water Element and the Seaweed and pork if you use it along with the Tamari and Sesame Oil add even more so this is an especially Watery Soup. The Chicken Broth and chicken if you are using it, brings in the Wood Element. The Tofu and Green Onions bring in the Metal Element. Only the Black Pepper contributes the Fire Element so be sure to serve it with something Fiery and perhaps spicy hot and the Earth Element is missing so bring something in the meal that adds that too for a Five Element balance.  

Delicious Gluten Free Gravy

Here's the last Thanksgiving recipe I am going to post today. This recipe for gravy was a special request at our Thanksgiving celebration. Although this is a Gluten Free Gravy, it was so good that the person who asked me for it isn't even interested in that - she just loves the way it tasted! I love when Gluten Free food doesn't taste like it's Gluten Free! Now, I personally think that Gravy is the trickiest Gluten Free food to make for Thanksgiving. If you use Cornstarch or Potato Starch, the Gravy comes out kind of gluey and gummy. I've spent several years now missing the rich gravy that comes from creating a roux - that mixture of butter and flour that you cook until it is a rich brown that is the flavor base of gravy. 

So, today I experimented with a recipe from Shauna James - the brilliant blogger of Gluten Free Girl. She recommended using Sweet Rice Flour (often called Glutinous Rice Flour but there is no Gluten in it! And, regular Rice Flour won't do....) She mixes that with Butter to make a real roux before adding the Chicken Broth. Her version says that the roux turns into a kind of paste, which she then adds back carefully in pieces to her hot broth. Mine didn't do that and it was a simple thing to pour cold (pre-made broth) into the roux to make the best Gluten Free Gravy I have ever had!  It is creamy and rich and just so perfect with Turkey!  

I think the secret was using homemade broth. I didn't make the Turkey this year and if I had, I would have used the neck and wing tips and drippings to make the gravy. Instead, I made a savory Chicken Broth from the bones of a Rotisserie Chicken that I bought at the store  the other day. I cooked it for a long time with Celery, Carrots and an Onion. I salted it just the way I like it so I wouldn't have to do that when making gravy. It was waiting for me it the refrigerator, which gave me one less thing to do on Thanksgiving Day.

And, because I can't leave well enough alone and I had enough broth left, I made another version with Roasted Garlic - 10 cloves!  I'll post that recipe below too. It was just divine! Probably too adventurous for some people, but I loved it. I could also see adding in some sautéed Mushrooms and using Beef Broth when you have a roast.  I plan on using this tomorrow with the leftover Turkey I plan to make a Turkey Tettrazini with Gluten Free Spaghetti and Mushrooms. Finally, a good Gluten Free Gravy recipe has been created - thank you Shauna!

Delicious Gluten Free Gravy from the Gluten Free Girl

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted Butter

1/4 cup Sweet Rice Flour (also called Mochiko or Glutinous Rice Flour)

2 - 2 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth or Turkey Stock (see recipe below)

In a large frying pan, melt the Butter. Add in the Sweet Rice Flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium low heat for 6 - 7 minutes or until the roux is a golden brown. Add in the Chicken Broth and stir constantly until the gravy is thickened - about 6 - 7 minutes.

Homemade Chicken Stock

Bones, Skin and Drippings from a Roast Chicken (or reserved Chicken Backs from Spatchcocking) or 6 bone-in Chicken Thighs

6 cups of Water

1 medium Onion, roughly chopped

2 stalks of Celery, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 large or 2 medium Carrots, washed and stem and root ends removed, chopped roughly

1 Tablespoon of Salt and more to taste

fresh ground Pepper

In a large pot, add in all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 - 3 hours. Taste and add more Salt and Pepper as desired. Strain and reserve Stock for later use. 

If you decide to add the Roasted Garlic Cloves, puree the Roasted Garlic with about 1/2 cup of Water in a food processor or blender and add into the roux along with the other 1 1/2 cups of Broth.

Roasted Garlic Cloves

10 Garlic Cloves peeled

2 teaspoons Olive Oil

Sprinkling of Salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Place Garlic Cloves on a piece of Aluminum Foil and make a little cup with the foil. Pour in the Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt.  Close up and place in a heat proof little pan and roast for 40 minutes. Remove and cool.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken and Turkey Broth belong to the Wood Element and the Celery in the broth adds even more.  The Onion from the broth and the Roasted Garlic, if you use it contribute the Metal Element along with the Butter. The Carrots in the broth bring in some of the Earth Element. The Salt is the only representative for the Water Element so be sure to serve a Water food in the meal to create a Five Element balance.

Chicken and Dumplings

I have been writing madly this week trying to finish my second edition and have only allowed myself a few other activities besides sleeping, one of which is cooking. But, my intense writing schedule is taking a toll and I've been craving comfort foods and hot baths. So, last night I made Chicken and Dumplings - one of my favorite Pennsylvania Dutch classics and one of my father's and son's favorite foods too. What's most interesting about it is that the dumplings are really more like thick chewy noodles and when paired with soft chicken pieces and a creamy gravy, it is so incredibly satisfying. I usually cook the chicken the day before and remove it from the broth and refrigerate it all (seperately) overnight. Then the next day, I take the chicken off the bone, then I make the dumplings and cook them in the broth. After that, the only thing left to do is thicken the broth into gravy and add the chicken back in. But, you can also make it the same day - it takes about an 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on how fast you can make the dumplings. It is worth it because you will end up with a bowl of creamy and chewy goodness. If you have never had these kind of dumplings, you will have to try them. It really is comfort in a bowl.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 broiler/fryer chicken about 3 pounds, cut into pieces and dusted with flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

About 10 cups of water - more if necessary

2 - 3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon thyme

2 onions, chopped

3 - 4 Tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with enough water to make into a slurry

Put large pot onto stove and put in vegetable oil and onions. Cook onions until they are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add in chicken pieces and brown lightly on each side. Add in water to cover by about 2 inches. Add salt, pepper and thyme and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Remove chicken and cool down until you can remove meat from the bone. Cut into bite size pieces (but not too small). Keep broth warm or refrigerate both the chicken and broth overnight.

Then make dumplings:

Dumplings

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Put butter in and mix with your hands until the dough resembles coarse meal. Beat eggs and milk together and add to flour. Mix with your hands until rough ball just holds together. Put ball on lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is between 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick and cut into small squares.

Reheat the chicken broth to boiling and add in dumplings. Bring to a boil and turn down heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes - no peeking! Then taste one to make sure they are done and if necessary, cook for another minute or two.

Then, remove dumplings to a bowl and add cornstarch to broth. Cook until thickened. If it isn't thick enough, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with a bit of water and add it in and cook for a few more minutes. Be careful of adding too much cornstarch too soon as you don't want the sauce to get gummy. Taste for salt and pepper.

Add dumplings back in and also the chicken. Simmer just until chicken is heated and serve in bowls.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken is a Wood Element meat and combining that with dumplings made from wheat makes this a primarily Woody dish. The onions add the Earth Element as they cook for a long time and this is a long and slow cooking stew that is chewy and creamy so that adds even more Earth and there is enough water that turns into broth to bring in the Water Element and the eggs help too. The thyme adds just a bit of Metal and the cornstarch and milk add even more. But there isn't any Fire - so to balance this meal, a green salad with tomatoes would be a wonderful choice.

Oxtail Soup

I saw a sale on Oxtails the other day at my local Viet Wah Supermarket and I just had to buy them. I can't remember the last time I made this soup and it is so good for your joints! I mentioned cooking oxtails  briefly in my Bone Broth post, but didn't give complete directions for how to use them. This is one of those foods that you are supposed to eat when you are feeling a bit creaky when you move. There is lots of what my Mom called "Gristle" which melts down when you cook it long enough and it is a classic remedy for healing tendons and rebuilding Cartilage, along with eating braised tendons, a recipe I will post on another day. Oxtail soup also builds blood and is supposed to give you more energy and keeps you warm too.

Oxtail Soup is really quite easy to make. The only thing is that those gristly bits take a bit of getting used to for people who don't like chewy, rubbery things in their soup. If that bothers you, just pull it away from the meat when you cut it up and add only the meat back in. I personally love that texture and I love knowing that my knees and hips will thank me for eating this delicious and nourishing soup!

Oxtail Soup

6 large Oxtails

Water to cover by 3 - 4  inches

1 Large or two Medium Onions, cut into 4 pieces

4 large Roma Tomatoes (use 6 if they are small)

3 Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 stalks of Celery, cut into chunks

2 large Russet Potatoes, cut into chunks

1 large Bay Leaf

1 Tablespoon Salt

Put oxtails and onions in a large soup pot with the water. Bring to a boil and skim foam that comes up.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Add in the Tomatoes and Bay Leaf cook for an additional 1 hour. Then take out the Oxtails and let cool. Mash the tomatoes with a fork and strain broth through a colander.  Return the broth to the pot and add in the Salt, the Carrots, Celery and Potato. Bring back to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pull all the meat, gristle and fat off the oxtail bone and chop it up. Remove fat and gristle if desired.  Return the meat to the pot to warm when the vegetables are cooked.  Stir to blend and serve with crusty bread.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always part of the Water Element so that element is covered. Beef belongs to the Earth Element as do the Carrots and Potatoes so this soup has plant of that element too. The Onions and Bay leaf contribute the Metal Element and the Tomatoes contribute the Fire Element. Only the Wood Element is missing so serving this with some crusty bread made of wheat would do the trick or with some green vegetables on the side. Your joints will thank you for eating this soup!

Veal Stew with Turnips

I had a desire to make Osso Bucco and went to my local butcher shop to buy some veal shanks, but they were all out. Apparently there was a big run on them for Easter. So, I decided to just buy veal stew meat instead and make a stew with the flavors of Osso Bucco.  Now, what’s missing is the bone and the marrow inside as Osso Bucco means hole in the bone and frankly it's a little bit fatty. So what’s present in this stew is leaner meat with all the same flavors that makes Osso Bucco so delicious. I started with a Mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions and then browned the meat slightly. Then, I added in some White Wine and Chicken Broth and only a small amount of Tomato Sauce. I cooked it for 1 ½ hours and then added in the cut up turnips and cooked it for another 1/2 hour and finished it with a little butter to smooth out the sauce. It was an amazing stew!  Light and delicately flavored, the turnips  have a special texture that complimented the veal perfectly. I loved this dish and will definitely make it again!

Veal Stew with Turnips

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 pounds Veal cut into cubes and patted dry with paper towels

2 stalks of Celery

2 Carrots

1 large Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

1 cup White Wine

3 cups Chicken Broth (+ more if needed up to 2 cups)

½ cup Tomato Sauce

Sprig of Rosemary - several inches long or 1 heaping Tablespoon of Rosemary Leaves

6 large Turnips, peeled, stems removed and cut into 1 inch chunks

2 Tablespoons Butter

In a large enameled iron pot, put in the olive oil and heat.  Add in the Veal and brown on one side and then the other. Remove from the pot and reserve.  Then add in the Celery, Carrots and Onion and cook until softened.  Pour in the White Wine and scrape the fond (the brown bits) off the bottom of the pot with a plastic spatula or wooden spoon. Then add in Chicken Broth and Tomato Sauce.  Return the Veal to the pot and add the Rosemary.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Check every half hour to stir and add more chicken broth if necessary (add one cup at a time). Cook for 90 minutes total. 

Add in cut up turnips. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir in the butter. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley on top.

Five Element Analysis

Veal is an Earth meat with a bit of Metal added too. So the Earth Element is covered and the Carrots add even more. The Metal Element is represented by the Onion, Garlic and Rosemary and especially the Turnips. The Water Element is missing, but the Celery and Chicken Broth contribute the Wood Element and the Fire Element is seen in the Tomato Sauce and Wine. So, to balance this meal out, be sure to add a Water Food on the side. I served a Lacinato Kale Salad with Seeds (previous post) to balance the meal.

Thanksgiving Spatchcocked Turkey with Gluten Free Gravy

I remember making my first Thanksgiving Turkey when I was a teenager and it felt like I got up in the middle of the night to start things. It was obviously a big turkey and my family wanted to celebrate with a late lunch.  That Turkey took 6 hours to roast   I was terrified and that it wouldn't turn out right and t remember basting and basting that thing. The good news was that it turned out well, especially considering we previously had dried out store bought cooked Turkeys, so there wasn't any real competition. Everybody was happy, but I've been looking for a faster way to make Turkey ever since!  

Last year, I decided to try Spatchcocking the Turkey and it was wonderful! The Turkey cooked in about half the time and because more of the skin was showing, it browned up crisp and really tasty all over - enough for everybody!  There were still plenty of juices to add to the gravy and because I cut out the backbone, I had Turkey Broth made by the time the bird was done.  

Spatchcocking is really easy.  You take a big pair of kitchen shears and cut out the backbone on both sides. Then save it to make Turkey Broth and then Gravy.  I did this on the large sheet pan. Then you turn the Turkey over and arrange the legs so that it looks like the knees are touching and you press down hard on the breast until you hear a crack. Then you rub Olive Oil or melted Butter all over and season it as you like. I prefer Lawry's Seasoned Salt mixed with a little Garlic Powder and I probably always will.  You can get as fancy as you like. You can put the Butter with Sage Leaves under the skin and you can use any other herb or seasoning combination that you like. You also cook it on fairly high heat so it takes as long as roasting a chicken.  

Spatchcoking works for me since I no longer stuff the Turkey. I make Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing (previous post) or Sausage and Gluten Free Bread and Sausage Stuffing (see Stuffed and Baked Delicata Squash but double the recipe). And, I no longer have to get up early to make the Turkey - it only takes about  1 1/2 hours!  I'm posting this before Thanksgiving to encourage you to try roasting a Turkey this way.  For those of you in the US, I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Spatchcocked Turkey

1 12 pound fresh Turkey

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt (can also use just plain Salt or other Seasoning Mixture)

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

For Turkey Broth and Gravy:

Turkey Back and Neck (roasted or unfrosted)

3 cups Water
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 Carrot, Chopped
1 Celery Stalk, Chopped
Salt to Taste

1/4 Tablespoons Cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup Water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the Seasoned Salt and Garlic Powder.  Put the Turkey on a large Jelly Roll Pan.  Turn over and cut out the back bone down both sides with a strong pair of Kitchen Shears. Turn the Turkey over and press down on the breast bone until you hear a loud crack (you may have to press several times). Rub oil all over the Turkey and then sprinkle with the Seasoning Mixture.  Put into the oven and cook for 30 minutes.  Baste and reduce oven to 350 degrees. Cook for another 45 - 60 minutes more, basting one more time or until a Meat Thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the Thigh. Start checking after one hour of cooking. Let rest for 15 - 20 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, add Turkey Back and Neck to 3 cups of Water in a pot. Add 1/2 of a whole onion.  Add neck if desired as well although I usually roast it and then add it after for about 10 minutes at the end for a better flavor. Once the broth is done, strain and put back into the pot. Then, pour off the Turkey drippings from the pan making sure you scrape of the crusty bits and then strain the fat. Add drippings to the broth. Taste for salt level and add more if necessary.  Turn on heat and bring to a boil.  Add half of the Cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. If it is not thick enough, add the rest of the Cornstarch Mixture and cook for a few minutes longer.

Five Element Analysis

Turkey is considered part of the Wood Element, like most fowl and none of the Seasoning add much of the other Elements. Luckily, Turkey is the main dish so be sure to add lots of side dishes, like Mashed Potatoes for the Earth Element to put the gravy on, cranberry sauce and/or a Green Salad that adds the Fire Element. Dressing with Pork Sausage or Oysters that contributes the Water Element and all the rest of the classic dishes that we serve here in the US to make a Five Element feast!