Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sue's Chicken Soup

I've tried over and over to find the perfect chicken soup recipe and maybe I'm still looking. I've settled on this one (a combination of my searches) in the meantime. The freshest vegetables make all the difference.

If at all possible, do this in two days. Otherwise start early in the morning.

Make your stock:
1 fryer (about 3-4 lbs)
1 large onion cut in two with a clove stuck in it
2-3 ribs of celery cut in half
2 carrots, peeled and halved
4 peeled garlic cloves
1 small bay leaf
1 t. salt
6-8 peppercorns

Add water just enough to cover the chicken. Add all ingredients. Bring to boil. Skim off the scum. Lower heat, cover, (you can leave a crack) and simmer for 1 hour. Take out the chicken pieces. Stain the broth. Save everything. If you're not continuing the same day, refrigerate when cool. Doing it in 2 days will allow you to take off the fat that will have hardened overnight.

For the soup:
1/2 head cabbage, cut lengthwise and then crosswise in thin strips
3-4 turnips, peeled and cubed
2-3 carrots, cut lengthwise and then diced crosswise
3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ear fresh corn, cut in half
1 c. frozen peas
8 oz. spaghetti noodles, (whole grain ones will hold up better) broken in thirds - if you're cooking it for kids, use pappardelle noodles - they're long and thick and fun!
1-2 t. salt or to taste

Debone the chicken. Chop or shred it. (You can save a portion for another dish if you wish.) Bring broth to boiling. Add the cabbage, turnips, carrots and corn. Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the noodles and peas. When it returns to a boil, simmer partially covered for 5-10 minutes, depending on what type of noodles you've used. Puree the cooked vegetables that you saved except for the celery. Cut that lengthwise, and then in thin strips. Add both to broth. Add the chopped chicken, parsley, and cilantro and 1-2 t. salt. Give it a stir and cut the heat. Leave covered for 5 minutes before serving.
Bon Appetit!







4 comments:

  1. This is the soup pictured under the NGD sign. Well almost: I served the soup and realized I'd forgotten to add the pureed stock vegetables. So the finished soup actually has a slight orange tint to it.

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  2. Sue - I am so happy you posted this!
    Thank you - we love a good chicken soup -
    this sounds delicious!

    Pud

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  3. I'm glad you posted this too. It's already chilly up here in Buffalo and I'm just recovering from a cold. I'm putting this on our menu for next week.

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  4. Thanks,girls! I would like your honest feedback because, like I say, I still don't know if this is IT. When the kids were growing up, Jesse always insisted on corn and noodles in the soup. Once I threw a can of creamed corn in at the end after buying it on accident. Believe it or not, it improved the body and flavor.

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