basic chicken soup

Soups are some of my favorite things to make, because (see prior post on pasta sauce) you can really just throw stuff in a pot and have it come out steamy, comforting and delicious. And, of course, we all know chicken soup is the way to go when you're not feeling well. My step-mother's version of this "Jewish Penicillin" is my absolute favorite. I don't have the recipe for it, though. She seems to make it almost by rote - like putting it together is entirely muscle memory. Frankly, that's probably what makes it so good.

I have watched her make it enough times to have an idea of the ingredients, and my version with those ingredients is nothing to scoff at, if not quite the soup fantasy that comes from her kitchen. I highly recommend serving it with some crusty bread and a glass of iced tea.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cleaned (about 4-6lbs)
1 large (48 or 49 oz) can or carton of chicken broth (you can certainly make your own and use that)
10 carrots, cleaned and sliced
5 celery stalks, cleaned and sliced (feel free to use more - I don't really like celery that much)
1 large onion, diced
1 package of egg noodles (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons
salt
cayenne pepper
thyme (optional)

Clean the chicken by removing the giblets from the cavity (they're generally wrapped up in a nice pouch) and rinsing it well inside and out. If you have any huge flaps of fat on your chicken, you can trim them - but don't trim off all the fat or your soup will lack depth and flavor. Put the cleaned chicken in a large pot. Pour in the entire can of chicken broth. If the chicken is not completely covered by the broth, add water until it is submerged.

{Aside: I tend to use Swanson's broth because it's readily available and has a great flavor. I've tried many others (I was on a quest to find an organic or free range broth that I liked) and really never chanced on anything that tasted as good. So, if you're not making your own, I recommend Swanson's. Feel free to use the low-sodium kind, but keep in mind that soup is mostly water and will need a good amount of salt to really bring out the flavors. So, add it with high-sodium broth, or add it later from your salt jar, whatever.}

Bring the broth to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low, cover loosely, and simmer about 40 minutes. During the simmering process, check the water fairly frequently for proteins sitting on the top of the water. This stuff is called "scum" and should be skimmed off gently using a large spoon. The first minute of this video shows a scum skimming technique.

To see if the chicken is cooked fully, grab onto it with a pair of tongs and try to lift it. If the meat tears away or the chicken falls apart pretty easily, you're ready to go.

Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside on a plate or cutting board to cool. Remove the liquid from the heat and cover (but don't throw it away!).

When the chicken has cooled (this can take some time), take the meat off the bone. Frankly, the easiest way to do this is with your fingers. Don't be afraid to get messy here! Just throw on an apron and dig right in. Once you'd removed all the meat, shred it up into bite-sized pieces. Toss the bones in the trash (or keep them to make another broth with).

In another large pot saute the vegetables in olive oil, adding a little salt to help the process along. You'll want your vegetables to all be cut about the same size, so they cook evenly. Once softened, pour in the broth you set aside.

Now, if you're adding noodles - bring the broth to a boil, add the noodles and boil for as long as the noodle package says to (generally between 5 - 8 minutes). Once the noodles are boiled, put the shredded and de-boned chicken back in the pot.

If you're not adding noodles - bring the broth to a simmer and add the shredded and de-boned chicken back to the pot.

Squeeze the juice of both lemons into the broth. Add salt and cayenne pepper (and thyme if you like) to taste. Get ready to feel like your mama just stopped by to cook for you. Enjoy.