Chicken Soup is Good for the Soul by Juniper Nelson

                Juniper Nelson is a 36-year-old woman and newly single mom of a feisty three year old residing in Bergen County, NJ. She has worked in retail management for 15 years, and currently is working to complete her Bachelors in Business so that she can continue her management career in a more elevated role. Juniper is a very busy woman, juggling school, working, and being a mommy, but loves to cook. There is no "fast" food in her household; she comes home to cook a healthy meal every day, and prides herself in her family's healthy eating. One of her favorite meals to cook is "Jamaican Chicken Soup," which she learned to cook from her husband. This meal brings a feeling of health and well being, and is "good for the soul."

Jamaican Chicken Soup Makes Everything “Irie”

What they say about the healing properties of Chicken soup is absolutely true, but the real cold buster is a good bowl or two of Jamaican Chicken Soup. Even if you don’t have a cold and just want to eat a comforting bowl of stew, this is what to eat. I never had even made homemade soup before, much less a Jamaican soup (I’m Irish and Jewish). My husband, who is from Jamaica, taught me how to make this years ago, and he said this soup makes you feel “Irie,” which means everything is great and you feel good. I will keep this recipe in my mind for the rest of my life- there is just something special about making your own soup.

There are different variations and recipes as I’ve learned over the years, depending on where you eat it and who makes it. I’ve tasted different versions made by his Mother and friends of the family, and there are different versions depending on which part of Jamaica or even what island in the Caribbean to go, but so far, my husband’s version was the best. This soup is not for the faint of heart- it is spicy, and it can conjure up a good sweat. Make it any time of the year, as the ingredients needed are mostly available year round. A bowl of soup in the summertime is actually proven to reduce your body temperature. I remember many a summer day in sweltering Florida, cooking up a big pot of this soup, to cool everyone down.

    When the craving of soup is coming on and or the flu or a cold, dedicate a couple hours in the kitchen, and make sure to have all the ingredients set out before starting. First get a big stew pot, and fill it with water about ¾ of the way, and set it on high heat to boil. Then add chicken bouillon to taste, about 5 or 6 cubes depending how much water is used. I get all my ingredients out and put it in the soup as I cut it up.  Use chicken breast or thighs or preferred cuts of the chicken, and usually that goes in first so it can cook well and give more flavors to the broth. Then chop up carrots, potatoes, garlic, onion, scallion, pumpkin, and turnip. Everything should be bite sized, I get fresh ears of corn and chop it in half and drop it in the water. Then the fresh herbs, thyme and cilantro, important for flavor, are added. I usually add the thyme in natural form with the leaves and stem, and chop up the cilantro. You can pick out the thyme stems before eating. In more traditional Jamaican recipes, pimiento, green banana, cho cho, or chayote, and a pack of Grace cock soup are added as well, but these ingredients can be hard to come by in a regular grocery store, so they can added or omitted as the chef sees fit  (www.gracefoods.co.uk).  

Usually if it was just my husband and I, a couple whole, uncut Scotch Bonnet peppers can be added, which is a “variety of chili pepper similar to and of the same species as the Habanero. A cultivar of the Habanero, it is one of the hottest peppers in the world”(www.hotsauce.com). In my opinion it is much more flavorful than a Habanero pepper, but these are not for the faint of heart, and you will get a good sweat going. Make sure to just put it in the broth whole, because if you cut the pepper it will overcome the soup with heat and you wont be able to eat it. If I make the soup for company, I might substitute a regular jalapeno to give it a milder kick, or a just add a couple slices of the Scotch Bonnet pepper without the seeds, and let my guests know so they don’t think I’m trying to torture them.

  Next is to add “spinners” which are similar to dumplings. You mix flour, water, and salt until you get nice dough, and then roll it between two hands so you get a long thin tube shape, about the width of your thumb. My daughter likes to make these because it’s fun and she can be occupied while I cook. These should go in last so they don’t get soggy. Regular dumplings can be made too, with the same dough. Those can rolled in a ball between your hands and then use your thumb to push a dent in the middle.  Everything goes in the pot and is simmered about an hour, adding salt and pepper to taste, or more bouillon, and just letting all those fresh tasty ingredients mix together and build flavor. After about an hour of bubbling, stewing, and taste testing, I can hardly wait to ladle a big bowl of soup, as the rich scent of broth has filled the house and my nostrils. I get a big dinner plate, put a napkin on it, and put the soup bowl on top. This helps to prevent splashing and you can put the corn on the cob on the plate. If you can find some Hard Dough Bread, a Jamaican bakery treat, definitely buy it. It gives a little sweetness and helps to absorb some of the heat.

     Prepare to sit and enjoy this home cooked masterpiece, and be sure to have a big glass of ice water. When everyone sits down around the table to eat and enjoy some good, homemade Jamaican Chicken soup, the looks of relaxation, comfort and eagerness to dip the spoon in are seen on everyone’s face. It gives that feeling of safety and warmth that you get only when you are surrounded by family, but its from a bowl of soup This soup is guaranteed to knock out any cold, or just chase the winter chill away.

Works Cited

http://www.gracefoods.co.uk/recipes_detail.asp?recipeID=41

http://www.hotsauce.com/Scotch-Bonnet-Pepper-Hot-Sauces-s/52.htm