in good taste, vol. 77: healthyish
local vegetables, greasy spoons, and lemon-chicken soup
We’ve joined a local farm CSA for the season, presenting a few weeks of fresh produce (a lot more leafy greens) to the repertoire. Our CSA, from a farm in West Georgia, provides 5-6 different vegetables a week until July. If getting a CSA share is an option near you, do it!
It’s been great not only in terms of eating more vegetables, frequently, but introducing us to produce we wouldn’t normally reach for at the grocery store. There have been some immediate nopes (broccoli rabe), but also some unexpected, vigorous yes’es.
Case in point: turnips. A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been able to really describe a turnip. Since getting them twice in our CSA share, I’m shocked by how much I like them. Poach a few turnips for a few minutes in water, salt, and butter, and … you too could become a turnip evangelist. Try it!
SOME COMFORT FOOD READING
Do baseball and wine have the same PR problems?
Why we usually eat the same things for breakfast
Long live the greasy spoon
… And the chow mein sandwich of Fall River, Massachusetts
LEMON CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SORE-THROATED SOUL
We did it, Joe; which is to say, Adrian and I caught COVID last week. While I’m glad we never lost taste or smell, I did lose my appetite, so cooking wasn’t much of a priority this week.
On the first day of feeling crummy, while I still had a bit of energy, I adapted this recipe for Chicken & Rice Soup from the NYT. I think it’s the ultimate first-day-of-sick food. It’s soft, a little gummy (in a good way), and feels like comfort.
Later in the week, following the luck of chicken soup hand-delivered and made by my mother-in-law, we are back to full health and negative tests.
INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry & seasoned with salt and pepper
½ white onion
5 cups, chicken broth
½ cup white rice, unrinsed
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 bunch of dinosaur kale, stripped of stems & chopped
1 bunch of lemon balm, chopped (OG recipe calls for parsley)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 big garlic clove, grated
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
½ lemon, juiced
WHAT TO DO
Combine chicken, rice, onion, turmeric, and chicken broth in a pot over medium-high heat. When it starts to boil, bring it down to a simmer for about 20 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, add the kale and sliced garlic to the pot. When the chicken thighs are cooked through, put them in a medium-sized bowl and shred with two forks. Add back to the pot.
In another bowl, combine lemon balm, lemon zest, a bit of salt and grated garlic. Add these to your soup pot and stir around for a couple of minutes. Serve with a bit of Maldon sea salt on top.
I’ve discovered a lot of new fruits and vegetables just browsing all the local fruit shops since moving to Madrid a few years ago. Turnips have been one of my discoveries, too! I love throwing them into a winter soup for a potato alternative, but I’ll have to try your method to truly celebrate the turnip’s flavor.
I’m glad to hear that you’re recovered from COVID! We had it back in March and chicken soup was also part of our path back to health. Thanks for sharing the chicken and rice soup recipe; I always love adding a new soup to my arsenal!
Quarantine fellow over here 🙋🏻♀️ luckily my sense of taste and smell are still there but as for you I kinda lost my appetite (how sad). Hope you both recover soon, a soup will always help!