Chicken Soup
Nothing says “home” like the aroma of chicken soup that has been cooking on the stove for hours. It reminds me so much of my childhood and my Mom’s kitchen. It also brings back memories of family meals, holidays, and love. Although some call chicken soup “the Jewish Penicillin,” many cultures share a love for this nourishing and comforting food. The long cooking process dissolves nutrients from the chicken bones, making the soup quite restorative and healing. A large pot of soup will keep in the refrigerator up to ten days so you and the family can enjoy a warm bowl of soup for days. Sometimes if I have too much soup, I will store some in a mason jar and freeze it for ‘emergency’ times.
For many years, I have experimented with soup stock powders, trying to enhance the flavor of the soup. But the truth is, you don’t need any prepackaged powders to make a flavorful soup. Here is my clean version that I know you and your family would love.
Here is what you need:
10 pieces of bone-in chicken, skin removed
1 whole celery head, cleaned and chopped into 2” chunks
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped into 2” chunks
1 onion
1 bunch parsley, rinsed and cut in half
1 bunch dill, rinsed and cut in half
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped to big chunks
1 turnip, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric (mainly for color)
Large soup pot with a lid
LET’S DO THIS
Combine everything in a large pot filled with water and place on the stove at high heat. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 4-6 hours.
Let the soup cool slightly. Now, you have two choices: remove the chicken and transfer it to a separate dish, or remove the bones and return the chicken meat to the pot.
Remove the parsley, dill, parsnip and turnip from the pot, as they have done their job.
