Rainy day foods

WHAT is nicer on a rainy day than to come out of the pouring rain into the house to a bowl of hot soup? Nothing. That’s the best. The utter best. Although these days the array of packaged soups on the grocery shelves seem to be endless, it would be so wonderful if we can give our family a rich homemade soup/stock or broth with a sandwich or with hot rice.

Before we begin, on how to make a meal with the soup as the stellar attraction, the difference between a broth and a soup/stock could be considered. A stock is usually thin and has very little in it; usually it is something like what is used for egg drop or consommé. On the other hand a broth has shreds of meat, noodles; whole (quail) eggs croutons or cheese. Arrow cal do may be classified as a broth with rice, our local soaps as a broth with noodles. And so on. The egg drop, with a beaten egg and a smattering of onion greens is made with a simple broth and served at the beginning of a meal. A broth is served as the meal, especially with rice as is usually done in most Piney homes.

The way to begin is rather simple, and quite frugal. Take it from the frugal housekeeper, especially if you are in the habit of not throwing a spare piece of chicken or beef.

TO BEGIN... YOU WILL NEED

Meats, bones, mirepoix (say meerpwa it is French for... a thousand cuts) what you have on hand.

For meats use chicken and beef, try not to use pork, for bones use the backs of chickens, usually sold as soup pack. If you don’t have meat and bones, use about 1.5 kilos of chicken backs.

For mirepoix, cut one or two each of carrots, onions and celery stalks. You may also add a small thumb sized bit of ginger, a Chinese thing, as they say, Para maalis ang sangsa.

TO MAKE...

In truth, it is most simple. If you have chicken backs, and some of your leftovers, put the ingredients in a covered pot. Cover with water and boil until you have a rich stock. If you want to debone all, do so, but if you want just the soup then use the soup and scramble an egg and season for a first course. If you want it to be your main dish, debone the meats put back the meats in the soup, and add what you wish. Add sweet cooking bananas, a few potatoes, and a little tomato paste and you have a mock poacher. You may add noodles and milk, and you have the local sopas. You may or may not put evap or full cream milk powder to taste before serving. You may add little wonton noodles which wrap a bit of shrimp and onions and you have wonton noodles.

Or you may add slices of French bread and cheese and you will have French onion soup. In the case of the last, you will have to bake the bowl and melt the cheese. Or do you like a heartier soup with maim or sotanghon or miki? The variety is endless. Like I have always told you, cooking is doing things the way you like. Not cut and dried what someone told you to do.

You may also buy spinach and drop it into the soup. Endless.

Write us if you want any particular recipe and we will try to make you happy.