Winter has finally arrived in Toronto and although the temperatures are in the normal range for this time of year, it somehow seems much colder than past years. Perhaps it is because November and December were such 'balmy' months and I had managed to convince myself that Jack Frost would let us be this year; or perhaps the cold winter winds just seem a little more hostile and vicious because I'm getting older (I'll be the big '30' on Feb. 1) - whatever the reasons I have had a perpetual chill running through my bones this past week.
Despite my unhappiness about the recent drop in the mercury, I was pleased to welcome the return of my cravings for hearty soups and stews. Since I am still recovering from my bout with pneumonia and my stomach isn't as tolerant as it was (living off bread, fruit, cheese and green tea for a couple of weeks has that effect) I felt it best to hold off preparing a heavy soup or stew, and instead make the light, but filling, chicken noodle soup. This lovely soup has defrosted me from the inside-out all week - I hope that you find it does the same for you!
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Despite my unhappiness about the recent drop in the mercury, I was pleased to welcome the return of my cravings for hearty soups and stews. Since I am still recovering from my bout with pneumonia and my stomach isn't as tolerant as it was (living off bread, fruit, cheese and green tea for a couple of weeks has that effect) I felt it best to hold off preparing a heavy soup or stew, and instead make the light, but filling, chicken noodle soup. This lovely soup has defrosted me from the inside-out all week - I hope that you find it does the same for you!
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Stock
1.5 kg chicken (or thereabouts)
12 cups of water (approx.)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped (leave the papery skin on - this gives the broth a rich golden colour)
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
4 springs of fresh thyme
4 springs of fresh parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
15 peppercorns
Soup
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
reserved chicken broth
3 cups reserved diced chicken
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Place the chicken in a dutch oven and add enough water to cover the chicken (approx. 12 cups). Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off the foam (the foam imparts an unpleasant taste to the broth so it is essential to skim off as much as possible). Once the foam has been removed, add the remaining broth ingredients to the dutch oven and bring the water to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth lined sieve into a large bowl. Allow the broth to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and dice the meat. Reserve at least 3 cups of meat for the soup.
The following day, remove the broth and reserved chicken from the fridge and skim the layer of fat from the broth. Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions. Saute the onions until translucent, then add the carrots, celery and broth to the dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the broth to a boil. Boil the soup for 5 to 10 minutes then add the egg noodles. Cook the soup, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Add the reserved chicken and the parsley to the soup and heat through. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper, if desired, prior to serving.
1.5 kg chicken (or thereabouts)
12 cups of water (approx.)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped (leave the papery skin on - this gives the broth a rich golden colour)
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
4 springs of fresh thyme
4 springs of fresh parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
15 peppercorns
Soup
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
reserved chicken broth
3 cups reserved diced chicken
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Place the chicken in a dutch oven and add enough water to cover the chicken (approx. 12 cups). Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off the foam (the foam imparts an unpleasant taste to the broth so it is essential to skim off as much as possible). Once the foam has been removed, add the remaining broth ingredients to the dutch oven and bring the water to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth lined sieve into a large bowl. Allow the broth to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and dice the meat. Reserve at least 3 cups of meat for the soup.
The following day, remove the broth and reserved chicken from the fridge and skim the layer of fat from the broth. Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions. Saute the onions until translucent, then add the carrots, celery and broth to the dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the broth to a boil. Boil the soup for 5 to 10 minutes then add the egg noodles. Cook the soup, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Add the reserved chicken and the parsley to the soup and heat through. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper, if desired, prior to serving.
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