Chicken soup to warm your soul

Chicken soup is best known as a comforting food, and indeed, chicken and vegetable cream soup is perfect for warming you up on a cold day. Chicken soup can be light and nutritious. Some chicken soups will improve the appetite of a convalescent and restore strength. It is sumptuous and satisfying.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 1.5 litres chicken stock

• 2 small carrots, thinly sliced

• 1 stick of celery, diced finely

• 1 baby leek, halved lengthways and sliced thinly

• 115g cooked peas

• 75g cooked rice

• 150g cooked chicken meat, sliced

• Chopped fresh dhania

• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Pour the stock into a large saucepan and add the carrots, celery and leek. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered for 10 minutes.

• Stir in the peas, rice and chicken meat and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender.

• Add the chopped dhania, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

• Ladle the soup into warm bowls, garnish with sprigs of fresh dhania and serve hot.

Kitchen tip:

When a recipe says add oil, garlic and onions to the pan, always add the garlic last. Garlic cooks faster than onions. Adding it last keeps it from burning and tasting bitter.

Kitchen safety:

Do not attempt to catch a knife as it falls. It is best you let it hit the floor than cut your hand.