Sluttishly Savoury: Roast Chicken Soup with Sweetcorn Dumplings

I had the MOTHER of all migraines on Sunday. It was prosecco induced, so I couldn't even get any sympathy for it. After 10 hours, I lay there like something out of The Excorcist. If you haven't had a migraine, it sort of feels like you're being hit in the head repeatedly by paintballs — and you're not wearing a helmet. Plus your stomach rejects anything you dare put in it, even H20.

So now that I've painted that lovely picture for you, let's move on to the recovery food. Chicken soup was my medicine of choice.

We've covered Jewish Penicillin and more exotic and speedy Thai soup here at Sluttery. But there's another one that needs adding: this roasted chicken soup, which is gloriously chickeny. It takes some time to make, but it's quite a therapeutic process that isn't remotely challenging. It gently bubbles away in the background — filling your kitchen with tremendously soothing l'eau d'chicken while you get on with life admin. The sweetcorn dumplings sit on top are just the ticket - sweet, soft and cuddly.

Roast Chicken Soup with Sweetcorn Dumplings (serves 6)
Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 4+ hours

You will need:

• a whole free-range chicken, roasted for about an hour and a half - keep the juices!
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 400ml chicken stock (I used the fresh stock you can get in tubs in the supermarket)
• white wine (I used leftover prosecco cos' I sure as hell wasn't drinking it ever again)
• Handful of peas
• Whatever veg your fancy adding to your soup

For the dumplings:

• 100g self-raising flour
• 50g suet (I used Arora)
• 100g sweetcorn
• 120ml cold water

Make it!

1. Sweat the vegetables and garlic in the fat (or olive oil) from your roasted chicken until slightly softened.
2. Sit the roast chicken on top of the veg and pour over stock and wine, add enough boiling water so the chicken in mostly submerged. Throw in the bay, lots of salt and pepper and simmer for 4 hours. 
3. After about 4 hours, strain the soup and discard the vegetables. Pick the chicken meat and return it to the broth. Add a handful of peas, and some bite-sized vegetables 20mins before serving (if you want veg in it that is).
4. For the dumplings, mix the corn with the suet, a big pinch of salt and bring together with enough cold water to make it sticky but not wet. Roll into 12 balls with floured hands.
5. To cook the dumplings, steam for about 20-25 mins or add them to the soup with the lid on 20 mins before serving.