The way I feel about chicken soup is the way people feel about a much loved always worn sweater, the moment you put it on you are enrobed in comfort and warmth, but so much better, because you can share the soup, the sweater on the other hand is for you alone.
This chicken soup method is the one my Grandfather Tzvi, taught my mother, Tzvi learnt who to make it from his grandmother Chana, and one can only assume that Chana learnt how to make if from her mother Bubba
Simka – who famously live to the age of 106, it may have been the soup!
For 10 people: Fill a very large (10-12 litter) soup pot with water about ¾ of the way, add half a chicken cut into large pieces’ skin and bones on, dark thighs and legs will give your soup superior flavour and if you like chicken from the soup make sure there is enough meat on the bones, but the bones themselves are what will impart the flavour.
As the water starts boiling the impurities will start floating to the top of the water, using a large spoon skim off and discard any ‘scum’ that floats to the top of the soup, by the time the soup has come to a boil all the scum should have floated to the top.
Add a handful of coarse sea salt and a teaspoon of ground pepper, now add your vegetables:
For me 2 onions, 2 sticks celery and 6 carrots are requirements, everything else is a delicious extra, in my home we usually add 1 parsnip, 2 zucchinis, the heart of a white cabbage, alternatively a peeled Kohlrabi, 50 g of fresh dill and 50 g of fresh parsley.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, chicken soup – if you want a clear broth should be kept at a fast simmer rather than a rolling boil. Partially cover with the pot lid, and allow to cook for at least 2 hours, though in truth you want a full 3 hours before you have full bodied soup.
At this point you can serve the soup, or better yet, allow it to cool, store in the fridge overnight and before you are ready to reheat, skim of the fat from the surface of the soup.
