Jewish Penicillin

Everyone knows that Chicken Soup does the trick when you are under the weather - I have fond memories of Heinz CS after doses of the flu, tummy bugs and other ailments, courtesy of my mum.

I used to pride myself on never really getting ill, but now with a toddler-in-tow, I seem to always have the cold. So, I thought I would give Nigella's chicken soup a whirl. According to the website Jewish Penicillin, Dr. Stephen Rennard, a specialist in pulmonary medicine, tested the theory and concluded that chicken soup "actually has a mild medicinal effect, inhibiting inflammation of the cells in the nasal passage, reducing the symptoms of a cold". Anything is worth a try.

To make the soup, I popped into a pot the following magic ingredients:
1 small chicken
1 carrot, peeled and halved
1 tbsp maldon salt
1 onion, halved with skin still on
1 cinnamon stick
3 litres of water
Juice of one orange


I then simmered for around 3 hours, longer than the 2 hours suggested, but I couldn't get all of the water in at once as I need a bigger pot (massive lilac Le Creuset to be precise)! I then strained the broth into another pot and chilled overnight. A day after I scooped the fat off the top of the liquid, heated up, and added a handful of beansprouts, some chopped spring onions, red chilli and coriander to the mix, and devoured. It was really simple and I did feel like it was doing something to my cold immediately (although could this be a kind-of placebo effect)? I have since drank the broth on its own from a mug, which is also nice. Perfect food this week when temperatures have reached -9.5c.

Would be interested to hear about what others eat when feeling below-par.

Goddess Mx