stuart james beall

This is a Presto Big Kettle Multi-Cooker. It holds about 8 quarts. I actually bought this kettle with the steamer basket to heat my massage rocks. Anyway, now I use it to make chicken soup. You might use a stovetop stock pot instead.

I begin the stock with about six quarts of water in the kettle, and turn up the control to the 250 setting. Add one Tablespoon of fine Himalayan sea salt to the water. Meanwhile, break down a rotisserie chicken, pulling the meat off the carcass. I find that Costco offers the best tasting rotisserie chicken, for a very affordable price.

Place all the bones, fat, and skin into the kettle, and put the lid on it. Simmer the stock at the 200 setting, about two hours, covered.

If you’re using a Costco chicken, bag about half the meat and put it into your fridge for another meal. Chop the other half on a wooden cutting board.

No chicken? Leftover turkey meat works very well here.

Prepare two chopped Spanish onions, and six peeled & crushed garlic cloves. You may substitute shallots, cipollini, leeks, or pearl onions. Wash and slice about five carrots, five stalks of celery, a bell pepper or two. What if it’s half-dried from sitting open in the fridge too long? Use it anyway.

Remove all skin and bones from the kettle broth, and discard. Add chicken meat, sliced carrots, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh-ground black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage, a Tablespoon of thyme, a Tablespoon of parsley, two bay leaves, and about 2 Tablespoons of special seasoning:

* Urban Accent Cajun Street… OR

* Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle… OR

* Organics Cajun… OR

* Sri Lanka curry powder.

Add extra water, as needed, to bring the soup up to about six quarts. Bring to a boil, for about 5 minutes, then add onion, garlic, bell peppers, celery, and 8 ounces of dry curly egg noodles.

If you don’t have curly egg noodles, you can substitute bow-tie pasta, sea shell pasta, rotini pasta, elbow macaroni, ramen noodles, or 1 Cup of barley, or 1 Cup of long-grain rice, or 1 pound of flat Amish egg noodles. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Need to add some variety? Try adding a pound of Brussels Sprouts (sliced in halves), or 12 ounces of frozen riced cauliflower, or a can of black-eyed beans, or a can of white beans, or a can of garbanzo beans.

Simmer for another 40 to 50 minutes, and enjoy.