Broth

Soups
Written By Barbara G

This aromatic and rich soup has been a staple in my childhood home. Any type of meat can be used to prepare it, depending on taste preference or required energetics. Beef and chicken combination is most neutral and nourishes blood, qi, yin and yang. Lamb, for example, would be more yang in nature.

Traditionally broth in the Polish culture is served with egg pasta. It can also be served with boiled potatoes or cooked buckwheat. However these days I tend to drink it on it’s own or am using it as a base for stews and soups.

The leftover meat can be minced, fried with finely diced onion and used as a savoury filling for crepes.

Ingredients:

  • 700g of beef, bone in or boneless cut into 3-4 chunks. It can be any roasting or braising piece of beef, for more collagen content sheen of beef is best.

  • 500g chicken – 2x chicken breast quarters or 2 chicken legs, chicken wings and especially feet would have more collagen.

  • parsley, large bunch

  • dill, small bunch

  • 2 parsnips

  • 6 carrots

  • 2 large onions

  • 7 cloves of garlic

  • optional: piece of leek, small fennel, piece of celeriac

  • herbs and spices: thyme, whole caraway seed, ground ginger, chilli powder, dried bay leaves, whole allspice, salt, basil, turmeric, black pepper

Method:

  • Take large pot (about 5-6 litre capacity) pour 4 litres of cold water, bring to boil. Add 1 tsp thyme.

  • Add pieces of beef and 1 tsp of caraway seed.

  • Add 1 tsp of ground ginger, ¼ tsp chilli (or more or less than that, depending on the strenght of the spice), 2 bay leaves, 6 whole allspice,

  • 2 tsp of salt. Bring to boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 hours on a low heat, the stock should be barely bubbling.  Cooked this way the broth will be clear, translucent.

  • Take parsley and dill and using a piece of string bind them together to form a bunch (it shouldn’t be able to separate while cooking). Add the chicken.

  • Then add: 1tsp turmeric,

  • peeled parsnips and carrots (can be left whole),

  • whole peeled onions, garlic, fennel, celeriac or leeks if using. Bring to a gentle boil, turn the heat down and simmer for another 1.5-2 hours until meat and vegetables are soft.

  • Spoon vegetables and meat away, add 1.5 tsp of salt. It should be a bit too salty as more water will be added to dilute the broth.

  • Add ½ tsp basil,

  • 1 litre of boiling water,

  • ½ tsp caraway seed,

  • 1 tsp of black pepper. Simmer gently on a low heat for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Barbara G
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Beef and cabbage stew