GINGER GARLIC CHICKEN SOUP

GINGER GARLIC CHICKEN SOUP image

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

4 lb. chicken pieces
20 cups of water
6 quarter-sized pieces of ginger root, smashed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. black peppercorns, or 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns and 1 Tbsp. sichuan peppercorns
1 good handful of fresh parsley
8 tsp. of Better Than Bouillion chicken concentrate
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
6 quarter-sized pieces of ginger, smashed
3 medium heads of garlic (or 2 large heads)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced and mostly seeded
1 stalk of lemongrass, top discared, bulb end smashed
8 ounces angel hair pasta (opt).
Chopped chives (opt).

Steps:

Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Add to a large stock pot. Cover with 20 cups of cold water. Bring to a good simmer and skim to clean. Skim several times until most of the scum is gone. Add onion, ginger, parsley, peppercorns, and Better Than Bouillion. Bring to a bare simmer and leave, undisturbed (unstirred)until reduced by half -- 2 to 3 hours. Cool, then drain through a fine sieve or chinois. Discard solids. If possible, let sit to room temp and store in refrigerator over night. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put unpeeled whole heads of garlic on cookie sheet and bake until garlic is very tender. It may bubble up some dark brown stuff at the top of the heads. Let the heads cool, then break apart into separate cloves, but do not peel cloves. Skim fat off of chilled soup. In a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, heat peanut oil until a slice of onion barely sizzles when added. Add onion, ginger, jalapeno, garlic cloves, and cover. Sweat at low heat until soupy -- 15 minutes. Add chicken soup and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered for 60 to 75 minutes. Add smashed lemongrass to pot in the last 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain through chinois again and discard solids. Serve as is, or bring to a boil and add some angel hair pasta, cooking pasta until al dente -- 8 minutes. Add chopped chives before serving.