Chicken

Chicken soup with spelt and herb dumplings

4
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Spelt is a good source of B vitamins, which help to metabolise carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A fantastic source of slow release energy, the grains will not only keep you feeling full but contain all nine essential amino acids needed by the body.

Research has also found that including three servings of a wholegrain such as spelt per day is associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Wellbeing Wisdom

  • Spelt is a good source of vitamin B
  • Spelt grains contain all nine essential amino acids needed by the body

Ingredients

    For the soup

    • 1 roast or barbecued chicken carcass, meat stripped and reserved for the soup
    • 8 roast or barbecued chicken wings
    • 2 carrots, chopped
    • 2 celery sticks, chopped
    • 1 red onion, chopped
    • 8 whole peppercorns
    • 1 bunch of thyme
    • 1 bay leaf
    • For the dumplings
    • 125g white spelt flour
    • 125g wholegrain spelt flour
    • 55g finely grated Parmesan
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 bunch of chives, finely snipped
    • 125ml buttermilk
    • 1 egg
    • To serve
    • Fresh vegetables, such as peas, fennel, kale, sweet potato, cabbage or broccoli

    Method

    1. Put all the soup ingredients in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer gently for 11⁄2 hours. Drain the broth into a clean saucepan, discarding the bones, vegetables, peppercorns and herbs, then put the broth back on the hob and bring to a gentle simmer.
    2. To make the herb dumplings, put the ours, Parmesan, baking powder, sea salt and chives in a large bowl, stir together and make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk and egg and whisk until you have a thick, sticky dough, then stop. If you over- mix, the dumplings will be tough. Shape the dough into dumplings using two spoons dipped in hot water, and place the dumplings in the simmering broth.
    3. Add the reserved chicken meat and whichever vegetables you wish. Cook for 5-10 minutes, then serve the soup hot.

    Recipe from SPELT by Roger Saul (Watkins Publishing Limited), £16.99