The "Spring-Broken" Soup Situation.

Ahh the joys of high-stress, close quarters college classrooms. Shared knowledge, fun learning, and there's always one sterling genius who comes to class with a bug instead of staying home, which inevitably passes it on to the rest of us. So after spending most of my spring break in bed, subsisting on cool water and a half eaten jumbo bag of Tostitos, I finally began to feel well enough (and hungry enough) to stagger into the kitchen to conjure up some basic nutrition, in the hope of aiding my recovery from this lovely tuition-free college perk.

Of course, only 1 guy in history has ever conjured a feast from virtually nothing, and seeing that I still can't walk on water, I had to go to the store for some chicken stock. There I also found some escarole that looked pretty fresh, so I snatched it up as well.

Once I got home, I wanted something doable in one pot. A small pot too, since I didn't feel like hefting a hulking cauldron of boiling whatever around. So I washed and chopped up the escarole and sauteed it up with some extra virgin olive oil and lots and LOTS of freshly minced garlic. If garlic doesn't have healing benefits, then I've been suffering from the worlds longest and greatest case of placebo effect. So about 4 cloves found their way into this soup. Vampires and first dates beware! A splash of lemon juice at the end helped bring some brightness and acidity to the party.

Setting the escarole aside once it wilted nicely I brought a quart of chicken stock to a boil. Without bothering to ask forgiveness to the food-god-powers-that-be, I mercilessly broke half a pound of spaghetti in half and tossed it into the stock, along with 3 crushed cloves of crushed garlic....yes, more garlic.

I am pleased to say that despite my dual gastronomic blasphemies (breaking spaghetti, AND cooking it in less than a gallon of water), a little attentive stirring gave the pasta enough motion to cook quite nicely and as soon as it qualified as al dente, it was unceremoniously dumped over the escarole. A hefty amount of black and red pepper, along with the king of cheeses and a quick shot of olive oil over the top finished out the main flavors. Still wanting some freshness, a handful of chopped parsley was ready and willing to fill that role.

Now granted, when you're sick you don't really taste much, but this concoction had the chickeny-goodness of chicken-noodle soup, a pleasant mild bitterness and earthy undertones of sauteed escarole, and the "turned up to 11" punch and pungency of garlic and spice to help make me feel better. Is it any coincidence that I feel much better today? I think not. The soup was so invigorating that shortly after I was well enough to work on some homework. I think I'll even make some more today. Hell I might even return to the land of the living by Monday.