Oh my dear readers, what a poor friend I have been!
Whilst birds perched the frosty branches, round breasts fluffed, beaks touching. As flowers were bought in service stations, heart shaped cakes baked, romantic candle-lit suppers booked and eaten, eyes gazed into, hopes raised, hearts filled, heads laid to rest, the better to dream. I was nursing a cup of beef broth and a tender body, on my way back to health.
A couple of nights before Valentine's eve a nasty Norovirus landed me a sucker punch - right in the gut.
After a long, long night that ended with nothing but moths left in my tummy, I lay and regretted my lost Valentine celebration. Prosecco waited in a cupboard, all fresh bread and biscuit bubbles, a lovely piece of steak at the farm. The liveliest mixture of winter leaves and tender herbs ached to mop up those beefy, buttered juices. Yet I was unable to contemplate even reading a book. Radio four soothed me back to sleep again, whilst my immune system regrouped.
When I ventured out of the bedroom, as wobbly as a new calf, I knew instantly what my body needed. First fresh ginger tea with honey and later some chicken broth. The next day my heart longed for something deeply flavoured, clean tasting and fragrant with star anise. I set a beef broth to simmer with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and garlic, repaired to the sofa under a Jacob fleece and the house sang with savoury.
Broth is healing for all tummies, but especially good for anyone who has just had a bug. I make this broth, strain it and then pick off the meat, add some diced carrot, finely chopped leek, finely chopped garlic and maybe a little winter squash and cook for another hour or so. You can also add a few fresh peas or a little handful of fresh coriander or basil. Start with the broth and then graduate to eating a few of the vegetables with the broth and finally a little of the well cooked meat.
Healing Beef Broth
A couple of pieces of beef shin - with bone preferably - about 500-700g. Add a marrow bone if you have one.
1 red onion (or brown skin)
6 cloves garlic
1 stick celery or a thick slice of celeriac
3 thick slices of ginger - err on the generous side
2 whole cloves
a cinnamon stick
3 star anise
sea salt to taste
Throw everything into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and skim off most of the scum that rises. Turn down to a low simmer, clap a lid on and allow to simmer for at least three hours, taste and add salt to your liking. Allow everything to cool and then strain. Pick the meat off and reserve, adding back in to the stock when you are a little better.
For anyone in London at the end of March, this Wise Traditions conference sounds amazing. I'll be there in spirit, but I can't be there in body.
9 comments:
Oh dear, Naomi. Sorry to hear the stomach flu got to you! There is a strain currently doing its rounds in the school I teach at, and I've seen how awful my affected students feel (some taking as long as two weeks just to stop looking pale and drawn!)
I do so hope you will soon be on the mend, and I will certainly be passing on the recipe tips for the good-for-the-sensitive-tummy broth.
I'm glad to hear you are feeling a little better! Thanks for posting about the Wise Traditions conference--I didn't know about it. So, now I am going!
And healing broth? Just what I need, not for physical sickness, but for home-sickness.. I miss Canada! I'll have to pick up some Star Anise!
Jessica
Oh gosh, Naomi, I'm terribly sorry to hear you've been so ill. Sending healing hugs to you, dear.
That beef broth sounds so comforting and delicious even for one who is not ill.
Many hugs,
Shirley
Dear Naomi,
I just made this to comfort my stomach after 2 weeks of IV antibiotics. It is manna from the gods! I am delighting in every sip. You are truly a gifted cook.
I hope your tummy is happier by the time you read this.
Heidi
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I am currently reading all kinds of different ideas about making bone broths and I am curious about whether or not the beef shins need to be roasted in advance? It seems your other recipe for broth involves roasting first (cooked chicken carcass and whatnot). I suspect anything will cook after three hours in a pot, but I just want to make sure. :-). This broth sounds easy enough--toss in a pot. Cook. Enjoy.
Jennifer, I don't roast this first because it contains actual pieces of meat - ie the shin meat. You could brown it first in the pan to get a little extra sweetness, but no need to roast.
I should add to this post that if you add a marrow bone in there or any other bone, it's good to add a little acid (vinegar/lemon/lime juice/verjuice) in order to help leech out more of the minerals from the bone. Just a couple of teaspoons is enough.
Any pure bone broth will benefit from roasting the bones, but it's purely a flavour thing - as you say, most things will be pretty tender after 3 hours simmering!
x x x
I pre-roast my beef bones now. I noticed that the stocks I was making from already-cooked chicken and lamb bones seemed to be gelling better, so I decided to try it with the beef bones too. I've been roasting them at 350F for 30 minutes, then cooking the stock for 6-8 hours. The batch I made this week set up so firmly that my scoop stood up in it. Yum.
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