Chicken Soup for the Stomach

I made a batch of the chicken soup I've been making since I was a wee lass the other day and thought I'd share the recipe. We're heading into the chilly months and if you're sitting around on the weekend, it's much easier to make this soup that you'd think (for those of you who think making chicken soup from scratch involves dumping in a can of chicken broth).

Ingredients (you don't really have to measure, just throw stuff in, it's funner):

1 whole chicken cut up - I usually throw the innards away after inspecting them to satisfy my morbid curiosity
2-3 onions with skins left on - just toss them in, the skins make a nice golden color
2-3 carrots - don't peel, and just break them in half.
2-3 sticks of celery - also while you're picking these out, purloin the leaves from other sticks of celery and slip them into your bag of celery (leaves have more flavor, and no one else who buys celery want the leaves, so the store won't mind)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
sprigs of rosemary, thyme, marjoram, FLAT leaf parsley (the curly leaf parsley is good for garnishing and that's about it)
2 bay leaves (I use myrtle leaves from my and G's trip to Bandon last summer)
small handful of peppercorns

salt
dried parsley
carrots, chopped
celery, chopped
thick noodles such as bow-tie, or frozen egg noodles
-or-
a potato and a rutabaga, peeled and cubed.


Put everything up to and including the peppercorns in a large stockpot and add enough water to cover the chicken. If you add too much water the broth will be weak and you will need to reduce it. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for at least three hours, more like four, stirring occasionally. The longer you simmer it the more gelatin will be cooked from the bones, and this is ideal. Also of course, the more time the broth cooks, the more flavor will develop.

While it is simmering, you may get bored. Therefore it is not uncommon to find ways to amuse yourself. Some people dunk the chicken pieces with the spoon, some like to mash the carrots up. I personally like to squeeze the onions with the spoon, to make all the layers squish out.

Once the broth is sufficiently strong - you'll have to use your judgment, which some people find lacking, I know, but I'm not going to babysit you through this experience - get a large colander and another large pot (or bowl). Position the colander over the second pot and pour the entire contents of the first pot into it. It helps to do this in the sink, just in case you spill. Rinse any particles out of the first pot. Retain all the disgusting solids in the colander, you will be playing treasure hunt with it later.

Now, I employ many cooking gadgets, therefore I have a smaller strainer to catch the fine particles the first colander missed. I position this small strainer over the first pot and transfer the broth BACK into the first pot. I taste the broth and add salt to taste. I also add a good pinch of dried parsley leaves, just like they do in the commercial food industry for that home cooked look.

Let the unappetizing-looking contents of the colander cool until it's comfortable to touch the chicken. It takes less time if you actually remove the chicken pieces from the mess and throw the rest of it away. Once you can pick the meat from the bones without crying out in agony, have at it. Tear the chicken into bite size pieces, and place in the broth. I hope I don't have to tell you to leave out the bones and the skin.

Get some fresh carrots and celery, chop them into soup-sized pieces, and add them as well.

Now you can do one of two things for filler: you can add uncooked noodles (thick noodles or frozen egg noodles -not the ones you make stroganoff with), or you can cube up a peeled potato and a peeled rutabaga (looks like a peach-colored turnip, and is grossly underrated as a root vegetable) and add those.

Let the vegetables and or noodles soften (rutabagas take a longer time than potatoes), then serve with a nice loaf of warm bread and butter. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers. If you've made the soup right, it will be almost the consistency of jello once it's cooled completely.