Warm Up A Cold Day with Mesclin Flatbrod and Hot Chicken Soup
By Suzanna Leigh and Marj Watkins
Marj Watkins’ “Gluten Free Baking” cookbook is a do-it-yourself project; Marj first printed in the 1970s under her publishing imprint, Firtree Press. This year, I dug it out of retirement, put a new cover on it, updated the dedication page, and published it with my imprint, DragonRider Press. We sold it during the Vashon Island Visual Arts Holiday Tour.
When I told Marj about the sales and gave her royalties, she was delighted! Her face lit up when I handed her 10 percent of the sales – all of $10.50.
“I’m rich!” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Now how can I invest this to make it grow?”
The following is adapted from her January 2011 article in The Loop:
January is Soup Month
A bowl of steaming, aromatic, flavorful, and nourishing soup cheers the heart and soul like nothing else. Let the wind blow and the rain pour or the snow pile up on the ground! You’ll be cozy and content sipping and inhaling the goodness of a well-made chicken soup. Something magical in it helps to ward off colds and flu or get you over it if illness strikes.
Every country has a favorite chicken soup. The Thais simmer the chicken in coconut milk. The French always include wine. Mexicans add lemon juice. The soup below is probably made in all Scandinavian countries, and in Belgium we encountered one very much the same. Chicken soup is universal. Wherever and however you make it, you’ll love it and it will do your body and spirit good.
Even if you are cooking for two or just for you, make the whole recipe, It’s even better the next day. Enjoy it within four days. Still got leftover soup? Reboil it and it will keep another four days, or you can freeze some to reheat later.
Universal Chicken Soup
Makes 6 servings
1 whole chicken breast, or 2 legs, or 3-4 thighs
¼ cup sherry or white wine, or 1 tbsp vinegar
2 large or 4 medium-sized onions, wedge-sliced
1 leek, halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced
2 large or 3 smaller garlic cloves, peeled and diced
2 long carrots, sliced
2 ribs of celery cut in 1-inch chunks (optional)
4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups stock – chicken or beef
1 bay leaf
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
2 tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp coarse black pepper, or to taste
Water as needed to keep the ingredients well-covered, plus an inch or two
Place all the ingredients in a large kettle. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender and the meat is almost falling off the bones. Scoop out the chicken pieces. Discard skin and bones. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return to the kettle. Bring to a boil. Serve hot with whole wheat bread, crackers, or gluten-free Mesclin Flatbrod.
Mesclin Flatbrod
Finding gluten-free crackers is not easy! So many gluten-free breads and crackers are mostly starch – not a lot of nutrition in those. Mesclin Flatbrod, on the other hand, features high-protein sorghum flour and good-for-your-heart oat bran or rolled oats. It is surprisingly easy to make, and tasty too!
This recipe is from Marj’s “Gluten Free Baking” book.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1 cup sorghum flour
¾ tsp salt
1½ cups Bob’s Red Mill oat bran or rolled oats
4 tbsp soft butter
1 tbsp dark brown or coconut sugar (optional)
½ cup plus a few drops more milk or water
Sift flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in oats. Blend butter in. Gradually add liquid to make a firm but not sticky dough. On waxed paper, roll out to about ⅛ inch thickness. Score both ways to create squares about 2½ inches on a side. With a thin spatula, transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet or to parchment paper.
Bake 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to finish cooling.
May be stored in a plastic, ceramic, or metal container with a tight-fitting top.
Marj Watkins “Gluten Free Baking” cookbook is currently available from Suzanna Leigh, leigh.suzanna@gmail.com. The Coffee Roastery is now carrying sorghum flour!
