Soup for the sick

Ingredients

1 large onion, cut into rings
2 serrano peppers
3 red potatoes
1 pork chop, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper
2 portions love and sympathy


When I wake up, I already feel like my head is exploding. It’s just one of those days when you feel sick and cranky and can’t even stomach the idea of leaving your any further than to snuggle under a ton of blankets on your couch. A sudden craving for fennel tea. The shining sun and singing birds cruel sarcasm and a personal attack by the universe.

But as no woman’s an island, I am not alone in my misery, and some time after breakfast, I hear strange sounds coming from the kitchen. It sounds like our beloved Dutch oven being put on the stove, I hear water running and the rhythmic banging of a knife (wanna bet it’s the famous Santoku?) on a cutting board, the sounds of chopping and boiling, opening and closing of the fridge.

What on earth can be happening? This being Saturday, what I remember of our fridge is that it is empty, waiting to be re-filled to get us through another week. Then the smells start emerging to the living room and my couch, poking my nostrils with increasing intensity while I suffer away on my blankets, demonstratively too sick to even schlep myself over to the kitchen to observe what’s going on.

And then out of nowhere, a steaming bowl of soup makes it to my hands, covered with fresh green herbs and rings of raw jalapeno that immediately lift my spirits. Potatoes and thinly sliced pork, savory bits of garlic hiding under the tremendous amounts of sweet rings of onions, and all of it floating in a delicious and fragrant broth that warms the heart.

I don’t know what happened that day in our kitchen and if you are interested in the exact recipe, you’ll have to ask my wonderful someone. From my guess, cut and chop all of the above and boil it in a sturdy pot until the potatoes are done. Season it with tender loving care and good wishes and serve boiling hot, with a kiss.

Life is good!