DIETITIAN'S DESK

It's the flu season and so many people are down with this debilitating malady. They are so coughing, sneezing, breathing via the mouth and just looking droopy all day long.

Unfortunately, many of us still go to work at some point during the suffering, and I think we just slow down the healing process and maybe get others to join the sad throng.

Most flu sufferers have a small appetite and barely eat to survive. Many of them, even those who dislike porridge and soup, will begin requesting these liquid meals as they are now sick.

Chicken soup is used as a remedy for the common cold in many cultures. Originally, this soup was made from the fowl or mature hen and was simmered for several hours. Different cultures add various herbs, vegetables or tubers. The classic chicken soup, however, has a strong chicken flavour and is clear in appearance with a small amount of vegetables.

The warm soup clears your nasal passage, soothes your parched throat, hydrates you and is easy to consume. The protein and mineral from the bone, including other nutrients from the vegetables, can help bolster the immune system. It is also considered a comfort food and is often prepared by a loved one or other caregiver and this act alone can help in the healing process.

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Soup tips

Most people think it is difficult to spoil a soup but here are some helpful tips:	A fresh unfrozen chicken is best. But since most of us do not have a farm, use a mature chill-packed chicken.
	The connoisseurs recommend using a whole chicken or large portions cut at the joint and not through the bone to prevent discoloration of the soup with the bone marrow.
	Start the soup in cold water with a few vegetables and choice herbs.
	Bring to a boil and reduce flame and simmer (2.5-3 hours).
	Remove chicken as soon as it is cooked and cut meat from bone. Replace bones to soup.
	The soup can be strained, cooled and refrigerated to remove excess fat and completed the following day by adding hearty pieces of vegetables and fresh herbs and salt and pepper to season. Simmer for a short time and serve.
	A good chicken soup should have a strong flavour and be clear in appearance.
	If you are making a small portion of chicken soup, use a few whole joints of chicken.

Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

2-3lb fresh chicken

1 medium young turnip

2 young cho-cho

3 celery stem

5 parsley stems

3 large carrots

2 large onions quartered

Whole pepper corns

Salt, whole seasoning

pepper, thyme and escallion

to taste

Method

Clean and wash chicken, do not use giblets. Add to large soup pot with vegetables, pepper corn, onion and thyme. Cover with approximately 4 quarts water. Bring to boil then simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Remove scum when formed. When chicken is cooked, remove to prevent breaking and toughing and add bones back to soup. (Meat can be re-added at last simmering. Some of it can also be used in salads and sandwiches.) Cool and remove excess fat, then add whole pepper, scallion, season to taste and simmer.

NB: For a more hearty soup with a Jamaican twist, add a few spinners in the final simmer. The chicken soup is not the same as a chicken vegetable soup, but favourite vegetables such as pumpkin and staples such as Irish potato can be added to this hearty broth to make it even more comforting.