Cajinha da Vóvó ( Granny's chicken soup)

Age appropriate: 5mnths +


Uses:

•  Can feed the whole family
•  Remove some of the stock and freeze for future dishes that require stock

It has many medicinal properties to it, it is always used to fix a cold, to heal a sensitive tummy but in my in my family it was the staple for filling a child's tummy.   I ate it so often as I child and have very vivid memories of telling my mother with tears welled up in my eyes that when i was older I would never, ever, ever eat another spoon of chicken soup!  That was until vôvô Joao (my grandad) convinced me it tasted better with a drop of red wine in it.  I know what you thinking "what the fudge?", you have to understand to my grandfather- a portuguese man, everything tasted better with wine.  All I chicken scan say is don't knock it off until you try it, I like it quiet a bit and cant help drop a bit of wine everytime I eat my chicken soup.  BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DROP TH E MERLOT ONLY IN YOUR PLATE, NOT IN BUBS......!otherwise you may have D.O.C.S knocking at your door.  Hope you enjoy my grannies chicken soup.

What you will need:

1 small chicken (whole)

1 tomatoe (whole)

1 onion 

Some pasta (stellini - little stars shapes)

Handful of shallots

1-2 carrots

2 tbsp of olive oil.

1. Start by heating the olive oil in the pot add onion chopped into 1/4 pieces.
2. Place chicken in the pot, together with the tomatoe and carrots.
3. Pour boiling hot water over the chicken until covered and bring to the boil.
4. Allow this all to cook really well, continue to add water if needed.
5. Generally I cook the chicken until it starts to come away from the bone.
6. Before doing anything else at this stage, I remove some of this broth which the chicken has been cooking in and place it in individual ice trays to make cubes of chicken stock for other dishes.  This is a great and natural way to make chicken stock, which is salt free and much healthier for baby as well as the rest of the family.
7. Remove the chicken from the pot, and slowly start to remove all the chicken from the bones.
8. Place the chicken meat back into the stock.  If you prefer chicken soup with shredded chicken you can proceed to add more water and take back to the boil.
9. If NOT AND THIS IS BEST FOR BABIES, USING THE FOOD PROCESSOR, BLEND ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE POT. Add more more and bring back to the boil.
10. You can now add the shallots or add them before blending process if you want it all blended together.
11. Turn the heat off, add in the little pasta shapes , place the lid on the pot and allow to stand for 30mins (this will cook the pasta).

Serve and enjoy bubs!......Mommy's it does taste great with a little vino!!