Hot Food for Cold Days

BOILING STONES
(Things a man can do in the kitchen)
© December 29, 2008
By: George O. Martin, Jr.

Hot Food for Cold Days

It seems like every year at this time the weather gets cold. Not just ordinary cold, but cold to the bone, can’t get warm, chilled all over, cold You would think as often as it happens, and with the regularity of it, the government would do something about it; but they don’t. Why they are so reticent is beyond me.
I suppose it is just as well Washington left the weather alone, though. No matter what they did to correct a pattern, some one, somewhere would be upset because the precipitation wasn’t what they wanted. Then they would sue to have the entire enterprise stopped. The court would rule that the plaintiffs were “all wet”, which is probably what they didn’t like in the first place, and the matter would eventually go to the Supreme Court. There, the Justices would split down the middle over the issue of ‘wet or dry’, and we would be back in an era of prohibition again. That failed the first time because it was too profitable for some, and too dry for others. So it is best to leave well enough alone, and just eat hot comfort food; which is what I wanted to talk about anyway.
Soup is probably the best answer for supplying both heat and comfort. It also supplies nutrition and a great deal of flavor, which is a bonus anytime. Soup, when constructed well, is also very inexpensive. That is because soup can be made with parts and pieces of stuff that would otherwise be thrown away.
That is how Oxtail Soup came to be. People considering that the tail was more bone and gristle than meat; and remembering the position of the tail when it was attached to the ox, just threw that part away. Some poor fellow of lesser means, and not as much discretion, saw the discarded pieces and took them home. Wanting to be as sanitary as possible he boiled them well. What resulted was three pints of broth that surpassed any he had ever had before. So, he added a chopped onion, two thinly sliced carrots, one stalk of celery chopped in small pieces a but of thyme, a sprig of parsley, a bay leaf, an half cup of chopped tomatoes, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and he had a warm and tasty feast.
Of course you can do the same. The only problem you will encounter is that the oxtails are now rather expensive. It seems that poor fellow told everyone about his discovery and everyone began asking for the free Oxtails, and the economics of supply and demand took over, and prices skyrocketed. Also, cows no longer trusted folk coming up behind them but looked them straight in the eye. That attitude still exists in the animals to this day.
However, there is no need to sneak up on a cow. You can make a good soup with any kind of beef and it will be pleasant and satisfying. Most of the larger bones when boiled will yield a good stock. But if you don’t have the time to boil bones a good stock can be made from the less expensive cuts of meat. What ever you find at the market that is cheap will do. I like round steak. When cut into half inch cubes and browned in vegetable oil; and then boiled in a couple of quarts of water the result is the beginning of a great stock. Add a bouillon cube to heighten the flavor and you have the basics for beef soup. One cup each of chopped carrots, onions and tomatoes, one stalk of celery chopped finely, and one-half cup of pearled barley will make a soup you will be proud to serve to your children, and you might even eat some yourself.
Getting back to the thrifty side of cooking there is homemade chicken soup. I realize no one has homemade chickens anymore, but that doesn’t have to stop you. The thrifty part takes a little time if you want to do it the right way. It entails buying whole chickens and then cutting them up into pieces. When you do that, you discover that there are parts that are mostly bone, like the back and the wing tips. Frying those pieces up is really a wasted effort. So I recommend you put them in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer. After a few chickens you will have enough backs and wings to make a delicious chicken stock that will be perfect for chicken soup; especially if you include that fold of fat back by the tail.
Boil them gently and bone them. Add onions, celery, poultry seasoning, a bit of garlic, salt and pepper and one-quarter cup long grain rice. You have a cold remedy as old as your grandmother, and a lovely soup to boot. If you are not one for rice, add some cubed potatoes or noodles; or, live dangerously and add both.
Good soup takes not much more than a bit of time, leftovers and imagination. Put in it what you have and what you like. Simmer it gently for a time to let the flavors come out gradually. Serve in a deep bowl you can wrap your hands around. They will warm, as will you whole body; and if you share with a warm friend it may well warm your heart as well. Soup does the soul much good.