Beth's Chicken Noodle Soup

This is another recipe of mine that is really not a recipe at all.  I play around with it every time I make it, and I would encourage you to do the same.  Let's face it:  there is nothing more comforting on a cold day than homemade soup.  This is a little labor intensive, but make a big batch and keep some in the freezer for days you really don't feel like cooking or for when the kids get sick.  It is well worth the effort and it smells really good!  And for best results, cook the noodles separately so they don't absorb all that wonderful broth. 

Ingredients for stock:

1 large chicken, excess fat removed (and don't forget to take out the neck and nasty bits!)
1 large onion, cut in half crosswise (don't bother peeling)
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into 2" chunks
4 garlic cloves, smashed (don't worry about the skin)
4 whole cloves
A 3" section of ginger, cut into 1/4" slices (don't bother peeling)
5 sprigs of parsley
(Optional:  I sometimes get a jalapeno, cut it in half lengthwise and toss that in, too).

1.  Rinse the chicken with cold water and put it into a pot large enough to hold it comfortably and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken.  Very slowly, bring the water to a simmer (uncovered) and skim the foam that rises to the surface. 

2.  Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet or grill pan (or grill for that matter), you want to burn the cut side of the onion.  This sounds odd, but it adds a ton of flavor in the end. 

3.  Throw the onion and the remaining ingredients into the pot with the chicken, continuing to skim the foam.  Maintain a gentle simmer and do not stir.  The foam is the impurities rising to the surface (blood and fat), which you want to get rid of in order to end up with a nice, clean, clear chicken stock. 

4.  After about 30 minutes, the chicken should be pretty much cooked.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Once cool, pick the meat off the bones and set aside.  Depending on my mood, I sometimes dice the chicken into little chunks or I shred it.  Makes no difference.  Set aside and refrigerate.

5.  Return bones to pot and bring back to a slow simmer.  Cook for about 2 hours, uncovered, checking for foam and skimming as needed periodically.

6.  Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or through a colander lined with a few layers of cheesecloth, discarding the solids.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator.  Any remaining fat will solidify on the surface and you can just pick it off.

Ingredients for finished soup:

Finished chicken stock (you'll have about 2 quarts at least)
2 large carrots, peeled and small diced (1/4" cubes)
2 celery stalks, small diced
1 small onion, small diced
1 Tbs minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
Reserved chicken meat (diced or shredded)
Juice from 1-2 lemons, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste
Cooked egg noodles (desired amount, cooked according to package instructions)
2 Tbs minced parsley

1.  Place chicken stock in a large pot with the rest of the veggies and the thyme.  Bring to a boil until the veggies are tender.  Add reserved chicken meat.

2.  Turn off heat.  Add juice of 1 lemon and season with salt and pepper.  Depending on the tartness of the lemon, you may want to add more.

3.  To serve, place desired amount of cooked egg noodles in a bowl and ladle soup over the noodles.  Garnish with parsley.

NOTES:  If freezing, stop at step 2 and portion into containers.  Reheat and continue to step 3 before serving. 

Also, a few splashes of Tabasco or Sriracha are great if you like a little spice in your life!

If you have any mushroom trimmings hanging around, you can throw those in too.  Leeks are a nice addition as well.  Rosemary would probably be good in the stock part of the process ... Or tomato, or tomato paste.  Instead of lemon, you could use lime and swap out the parsley for cilantro.  Chipotle would be great in there, too!  Again.  This is not really a recipe; it's a guide line.  Feel free to tinker with it!

A Day in the Life of a Private Chef

 When I first met the couple that I cook for in La Jolla, I will admit I was a little intimidated.  They have a gated, gravel driveway that is lined with perfectly manicured trees.  At the end of the driveway is a brick courtyard with a fountain and more perfectly manicured trees.  Their house is beautiful and it is accessorized with a tennis court and swimming pool.  The first day I went there, I had no idea what to expect.  The lady of the house (Eileen) and their standard poodle, Wrigley,  greeted me at the door.  The door, mind you, is about 10 feet tall and glass with beautiful ironwork.  She was wearing a gorgeous navy blue ensemble that was perfectly tailored and 100% wrinkle free.  Her hair and makeup were flawless.  We sat down in the kitchen and swapped stories about food, cooking and travelling; we immediately connected, and I was hired.  I will never forget that day. 

That, unbelievably, was 5 years ago.  In that span of time, I came and went twice.  The first time I was overwhelmed with other clients.  My replacement ended up being a disaster, so I agreed to come back.  The second time I left was for reasons in my personal life.  Anyway, I have stayed in contact with them and for the past few months I have been back under their employ. 

Cooking for people on a level that is that personal is extremely rewarding.  It is challenging at times (trying to sort out recipes that don't work, or figuring out substitutions for certain ingredients, etc.), but a very close relationship develops between myself and those I cook for.  With my La Jolla family, I arrive around 3 in the afternoon.  The housekeeper, Denise, does all the food shopping and by the time I get there, she has my station all set up for me and has pulled all the ingredients I will need in order to prepare dinner.  I measure, I dice, I make salad dressings and sometimes a soup for them to stash in the freezer.  Eileen gets home usually by 4:30 and we talk about that night's meal and menus for later in the week, or even the following week.  Usually, I finish cooking by around 5:30.  I plate the courses and Denise serves it to them in their formal dining room.  What makes my heart melt is when I can hear them ooh and ah over how pretty something looks on the plate -- Leonard, the husband, especially.  He gets excited like a little boy over dinner sometimes! 

Most days, they start with a soup or a salad and then there is a main course.  After the main course is served, I do what I can to help Denise break down my station and I make my way into the dining room to see how everything is.  Wrigley, the poodle, comes to me for pets and more often than not jumps up with his giant paws on my shoulders and gives me kisses.  While I get my daily dose of dog loving, I talk with Eileen and Leonard about their dinner and make sure everything tastes OK.  Seeing them truly enjoying something I made for them makes me so happy.  My smile grows even bigger if it is a recipe that is mine that they agreed to let me make for them, or if it was a recipe that totally didn't work, that I was able to salvage.  But, hands down, it is the most gratifying job I have ever had in my life. 

And not only do I have a bond with Eileen and Leonard, but also with Denise.  She is amazing at her job and could not possibly be any sweeter.  We help each other.  I know when she is busy or is having a bad day, so I will clean up the dishes I use.  If a recipe isn't working, I ask her advice on how I should fix it.  I have my own ideas usually, but her second opinion is  always invaluable to me. 

Over the years, I have accrued many fond memories with this family.  One year, Eileen and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner together -- I will never forget it.  We even set a turkey on fire!  This is one of the previously mentioned recipes we had to fix, but everything turned out fine in the end.  My favorite spoon in their kitchen is one that is bent all out of shape.  It's the one Eileen dropped down the garbage disposal one day!  And then there was the time Leonard was trying to show Eileen how to make the dog food and she failed.  I was making risotto and, defeated, she leaned against the stove next to me and said under her breath, "I f&%$ed up the dog food." 

How does one measure success?  Without a doubt, it starts here.  Every day, I leave their home totally in love with what I do.  To enjoy something, to be good at it (or at least I think I'm good at it), and to be able to share that with others is without a doubt one of the most gratifying things on earth.