Traditional Chicken Soup

By á-10863

From the book: Jewish Holiday Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family by Joan Zoloth.

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken, about 5 pounds
• 9 cups water
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 parsnip, quartered
• 2 celery stalks and leaves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful of rice or hand-crushed vermicelli

Preparation

Step 1

Place the chicken in a large pan with the water. Bring slowly to a boil, removing scum as it forms. Add the vegetables and bay leaf, reserving some of the celery leaves as garnish. If you like, add the white wine. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, on very low heat for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to maintain original level. Remove the chicken. When cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bones in large pieces and set aside with a little of the broth to serve as a second course. Return the bones to the pot. Re-cover partially and continue cooking, adding water as needed, for 1-1/2 hours longer.

Strain the broth. Skim the fat off the top. Before serving, add a handful or rice or vermicelli and let simmer until soft. If you wish, return some of the chicken pieces to the soup. Just before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into bowls to serve. Garnish with the reserved celery leaves.