Worth their salt? Not exactly

The Times tasting panel met last week to put five bouillons to the test -- four brands of chicken bouillon cubes and one chicken base. To sample them, we made broth with each according to the package directions and sipped it plain. On the panel were Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, columnist David Shaw, Test Kitchen director Donna Deane and food editor Leslie Brenner.

Our conclusion: We’re glad we live in a country where you can purchase decent chicken broth in a box. Or even in a can. You wouldn’t want to sip a mug of any one of these, though some were less objectionable than others.

What they all have in common is a lot of salt; all except Better Than Bouillon have salt listed first in their ingredients. Three (Wyler’s, Maggi and Knorr) contain MSG. Sugar or sweetener is the second ingredient in three (Maggi, Herb-ox and Wyler’s).

The bouillons are listed in order of the tasting panel’s preference.

Better Than Bouillon. A liquidy paste that comes in a glass jar, the label boasts that it is “Made from Chicken Meat with Natural Juices.” The lid explains that 1 teaspoon is the equivalent of one cube. The broth was an odd color that most of the panel found off-putting -- it looked like sort of a cloudy lemonade. But it had the most appealing aroma -- lightly chickeny -- and it was the least salty of those we sampled. No MSG. Must be refrigerated after opening. $5.99 for an 8-ounce jar.

Wyler’s chicken flavor bouillon cubes. “Made with real chicken,” the label says, and in fact “mechanically separated cooked ground chicken meat” is listed third in the ingredients, after salt and sugar. These produced a clear, yellow- brown broth with a fairly pleasant aroma; its MSG backbeat bothered only two of the tasters (it’s the only one of the bouillon cubes containing MSG that the panel found acceptable). What else is in it? Sodium bicarbonate, hydrolyzed corn gluten, corn maltodextrin, onion powder, chicken fat, alpha tocopherol (antioxidant), BHA and BHT (preservatives), natural and artificial flavors, silicon dioxide, hydrolyzed soy protein, etc. etc. $1.09 for a 2-ounce jar of cubes.

Herb-ox chicken bouillon cubes. The clear, dark-gold broth is salty, mild in flavor and fairly innocuous. “Like what I would expect to be served in The Times cafeteria,” was the way one panelist put it. No added MSG in these cubes, just “naturally occurring glutamates.” $1.59 for a 3.33-ounce jar of cubes.

Maggi chicken flavor bouillon. A clear, medium-yellow broth on which you could see some fat floating. Decent flavor, but fairly persistent MSG aftertaste. $2.09 for a 3.5-ounce box of cubes.

Knorr chicken bouillon. The best-known brand was universally reviled by the panel. The salty, chemical flavor reminded one panelist of a hospital stay; that was the nicest thing anyone could say. The broth even looked unpleasant, with a lot of icky white fat and dried parsley floating on top. MSG listed as the second ingredient, after salt. $1.99 for a 2.3-ounce box of cubes.

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Braised endives

Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: From Martin Woesle, executive chef, Mille Fleurs, Rancho Santa Fe

4 heads Belgian endive, red or white

3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, divided

Freshly ground white pepper

1 chicken bouillon cube or

1 teaspoon bouillon paste

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1. Cut the endives in half lengthwise and carve out and discard the cores.

2. Brush the bottom of a cast iron skillet or baking pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Lay the endives in the pan, cut side down. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Season with pepper.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve the bouillon cube or paste in the boiling water to make a light chicken broth. Pour the broth into the pan around the endives to fill the pan about halfway up the sides of the endives.

4. Cover with foil and cook in the oven until the endives have softened, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the endives are caramelized on top and the broth has reduced to one-fourth cup, about 45 minutes.

5. Remove the endives from the oven. Spoon the liquid over the top. Serve 2 endive halves per person.

Each serving: 165 calories; 7 grams protein; 17 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 23 mg. cholesterol; 402 mg. sodium.

*

Spaghetti alla chitarra with butter and rosemary sauce

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from a recipe in “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan. Spaghetti alla chitarra is a long, thin, square pasta. You may substitute fettuccine or regular spaghetti.

2 beef bouillon cubes, divided

2 tablespoons salt

3 to 4 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus

1 finely chopped for garnish

1 pound spaghetti alla chitarra

1/3 cup freshly grated

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for the

table

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 bouillon cube and the salt and dissolve. The water should be as salty as broth or seawater.

2. Mash the garlic cloves with the back of a knife handle, crushing them just enough to split and loosen the peel, which you will discard. Combine the garlic, butter and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the garlic and rosemary are fragrant.

3. Crush the remaining bouillon cube and add it to the butter mixture. Cook and stir until the bouillon has completely dissolved.

4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Use a spaghetti strainer to lift the pasta into a serving bowl.

5. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer over the pasta. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta well. Add the one-third cup Parmesan-Reggiano and toss once more. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

Each serving: 608 calories; 18 grams protein; 86 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 21 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 51 mg. cholesterol; 911 mg. sodium.