Grandma's Chicken Soup.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 9:28pm

My dear departed grandma Malke (b. 1895) from Russia, Chicken Soup Recipe. Or "Jewish Penicillin", if you will...

Kosher or regular Chicken, either whole, or in pieces.
Fresh Dill. (parsley, too - optional)
Carrots, sliced thick
1 celery
small turnip
small parsnip
medium or small onion, unpeeled.

NOODLES - optional

Get a big pot of water almost boiling.
Wash your CHICKEN and drop it in.
Peel your PARSNIP and TURNIP, use as much or as little as you like, and drop it in.
DON'T peel your ONION, drop it in whole. (It gives color to the soup)
Drop in your big CARROT slices.
Cover the pot after it starts simmering and cook on med-low, small simmer for about 40 minutes to an hour - depending on your CHICKEN.

When the chicken's done, fish it out and set aside.
Simmer down the BROTH until it tastes more rich.

Let cool, and then strain it. You can put the carrots and other veggies back in after you strain it.
Add DILL.

Refrigerate the soup over night, and the next day, you can scrape the "SCHMALTZ" (chicken fat) off the top.

Season the whole shebang with SALT and PEPPER.

Happy SnOw days~

Updated On: 12/30/12 at 09:28 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 10:50pm

I've never thought of using dill in my chicken stock before, but now I'm going to have to try it next time I'm making a batch.

When she said an unpeeled onion did she mean leaving that top papery layer on? That seems odd to me, though I guess if you are straining it before serving it wouldn't be in the way anyway.

And there have been a good number of studies showing that chicken soup is indeed very good for helping to relieve cold symptoms. Those old-world mammas certainly were on to something.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 10:53pm

Yes , AEA, use the dill. You won't besorry. If I don't have dill, I don't make the soup!

Updated On: 12/28/12 at 10:53 PM

[~tiny~]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 11:48pm

Yes, AEA - don't do anything to the onion. Just drop it in. It's for flavor, and the onion "skin" gives the soup a bit more color. You can slice or dice it after the soup's finished and throw it back in.
@Jane - Yes, the DILL is everything. And so are the root veggies.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 11:58pm

Awesome. I always love getting new recipes from people as opposed to just looking them up on Google. I can't wait to try this out. Maybe on Sunday when we're all recovering from the massive snow storm we're supposed to be getting here tomorrow.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 12/29/12 at 12:10am

It's actually really easy and homey to make, if you like to cook.
There's really a million diff ways to make this soup, but this is pretty much the russian/jewish version. Some recipes have too much STUFF in the soup imho. You can also use a 1/2 tsp of poultry seasoning. To get the utmost flavor, use a lot of chicken (with bones!), and when the chicken is cooked, (take it out), and remember to reduce the stock and gradually season it until the taste is right. It alkways tastes better the next day. I make the noodles separately.
p.s. you can freeze the stock in ice cube trays, and always have some handy for other sauces, soups, etc.

Updated On: 12/29/12 at 12:10 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/29/12 at 9:50am

tiny, what do you do with your chicken besides putting some back into the soup?

[trentsketch]

Posted: 12/29/12 at 10:37am

My family's recipe is very similar, only no turnips. I'll have to try it with turnips the next time I get to make it for the family.

We make very simple sandwiches with the chicken and have them with the soup. A slice of white bread, a thin layer of softened butter, salt, pepper, and a few slices of warmed up chicken from the pot. Fold in half and enjoy with the soup.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/29/12 at 11:24am

thanks Trent. I usually have a lot of chicken left over. While pulling it from the carcass, I end up eating some of it, then I make chicken salad. By the time I'm finished with this project, I'm a little chickened out!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/30/12 at 2:35pm

Going to try this tiny, thank-you! Nothing like a nice chicken soup and a sammich on a cold evening after work!

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 12/30/12 at 11:11pm

Always use Kosher chicken, even if you don't keep kosher. The chicken is brined, which gives a richer, saltier taste to the stock (which is better than just adding salt.) If you're using non-kosher chicken (and my grandma would roll over in her grave if I ever did that), season well with kosher/sea salt.

I made homemade chicken soup twice a year: for the High Holidays and for Pesach. I could go for some right now, though.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 10:25pm

I would just like to report that my apartment smells amazing at the moment. I have a batch of this cooling on my stove as we speak waiting to go into the fridge. If it tastes even half as good as it smells (and my experience in the kitchen has taught me that if it smells good it's more than likely going to taste good) then I have some good eating ahead of me this week.

I did make a couple of small variations: some whole peppercorns, a few cloves of garlic, and some dill and parsley in the simmering/stock phase.

I've already sliced the onion and turnip up and put them back into the stock, along with the carrot pieces. While I did use the parsnip during the simmering, and really enjoyed the smell of it when I peeled it, there was something I didn't care for in the flavor of it after straining, so I discarded it. However, having never used parsnips before, I am curious about the vegetable now and may try some other variations on incorporating it into my regular cooking. I would imagine that it would add a good flavor to a pan of roasted veggies.

Thanks again, tiny, for posting this.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 1/13/13 at 11:34pm

Thanks. Sounds good. What's YOUR best recipe, AEA?