Jewish Chicken Superior Soup

 

Chicken Soup Superior.

 

I love Jewish cuisine. The salt beef sandwich on rye bread with mustard and gherkins takes some beating. Brings back memories of my first ever Sunday morning trip to Brick Lane, London E1. Summer 1987, great times. Then off to Notting Hill Carnival in the afternoon for Red Stripe and first ever Jerk Chicken. How times have changed! I wouldn’t be seen dead at Notting Hill these days!

 

Jewish Chicken soup is rightly called the ‘Jewish Penicillin’. Long considered a cure all, this incredible soup is filled with properties which enhance; and are the centerpiece of the Sabbath and Holiday meals. Quite simply; this is my take on it. Medicinal and commercial properties of this soup have long been propagated. My Jewish friends tell me their families knock a soup together as soon as any illnesses surface. Why not us Gentiles too?

 

Out of habit, the soup is consumed at religious festivals such as Jewish weddings. Traditionally the dish is described as the ‘Golden Broth’ due to the blobs of fat floating atop. Simply skim this fat away, use a slotted spoon or kitchen paper. Or is being really fancy; let the soup go cold overnight in the fridge in as tall a container as will said fridge will permit; and skim fat there from.

 

This method is excellent for fat deskimming where cooking stews, curries, and in particular; the mince based dishes such as Cottage/Shepherds Pie filling, and Ragu-i.e. Bolognese Sauce or Chilli Con Carne. The additional 24 hours in the fridge really boosts up the flavour. A Culinary Turbocharger if you like. A requisite pause in the process.

 

Be assiduous when having any chicken based dishes. Save the damned bones! I’m with Nigella Lawson on this-she scavenges bones at dinner parties with her rich cronies. She doggy bags them up to return to Saatchi Towers. Whilst not short of a few bob. Being Jewish as well as an exceptional cook, Nigella understands the veracity of cooked chicken bones being gently roasted to release the unctuous gelatine to provide the health and taste giving properties. Readers, you must buy into this. There’s something rather marvelous about doing this yourself.  Not buying ‘Premium Stock cubes, Bouillon cure alls etc. A little like painting the fence, garden gate etc. A real sense of achievement. Something you can think; I did that?

 

Method. The Twelve Step Plan.

 

1. Scavenge chicken bones, gizzards, feet, necks etc. Up to 2lbs in weight say. Larger ratio of fat therein to provide required gelatine, and real depth of flavour. I freeze mine, and when required, defrost gently-NOT in a microwave! Say enough to fill a decent sized roasting dish.
2. A ‘Chef’s Trick’; Mirepoix-peel and thickly slice equal parts: Onion, Leek, Carrot, Celery.
3. Warmed roasting dish; add Mirepoix then place defrosted chicken on top. Ad a little vegetable oil. Salt & Pepper. Roast gently in medium oven for say 30 mins? Watch it like a new born baby in the sun. Do not let this I go to blacken stage under any circumstances. It simply tastes bitter. All it is fit for is the bloody bin, or the dogs. This rule applies to all stock making.
4. In as large a Pot as you have, have say 2.5 litres of salted boiling water on the go at a gentle boil.
5. Add the gently roasted chicken and Mirepoix. The hardest bit is done. Believe me!!
6. OK-stay with the boiling pan, turn down gas to reduce heat to bottom of the stockpot. Watch the stockpot, got slotted spoon, remove any scum which arises to surface. It may be any colour from brown to God forbid, grey. Remove scum-probably take say 8-10m minutes. You are now really cooking; exactly as a decent chef would. Turn to lowest heat setting, cover with greaseproof paper, add lid. Cook 2 hours. Cool. Strain. Remove chicken bits and Mirepoix entirely. Finely strain-get one with mesh similar to tea strainer. You may even need a helping hand here. I’ve been known to curse and cuss here. Reboil, remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate. Skim off any fat remaing after 24 hours. The clearer stuff nearer the top will be used for this dish. The darker stuff at the bottom is ‘The Daddy’. AKA The Demiglace. Put this darker stuff into ice cube trays and freeze. Pop it into Sunday lunch gravies, stews, and daubes etc-any dish using the cheaper cuts of meets requiring longer slower cooking times. It’s will provide that restaurant quality depth of flavour which resonates across the palate.
7. Ok again-whilst all this is going on-like in the intervening 2 hours or so; split and season ( add salt & pepper ) a Chicken into 8 pieces, cheaper then just buying legs for instance. Much more luxuriant too? Don’t you think? How to do it follows on Point 8 below.
8. Large sharp knife required; place sharp edge of knife through backbone of chicken, cut from leg end to throat end. Split as for Spatchecock Chicken. Excellent roasted or barbequed TO REDUCE FUEL SAVING BY 50%. Please take note! Remove legs, split at leg knuckle to create 4 pieces. 4 more to go. Cut down centre of chicken breast in one cut, and then cut that one breast into 2, cutting at say 1-2 inches from chicken wing. Remove skin from all eight pieces. Season with salt and paper. Be generous. This is what gives food its flavour, so don’t be shy! You would be shocked seeing what goes into Restaurant cooking especially on the salt front! Then grab a plastic shopping bag ad half handful of plain flour. Add seasoned chicken to bag, short shake, and remove excess flour. The more flour left on, the thicker will be said soup. I like my soups a little thinner-but it’s your call. Add these 8 skinned seasoned chicken pieces to a cold plate. Set aside.
9. Chop and slice 2 onions and 2 small leeks, or 1 large one. Set aside on cold plate.
10. Hot frying pan-add generous knob of butter-say 1/5 packet, add onions and leeks, cook gently, 10 minutes until translucent, you can see through it readers! Remove to cold plate. Add 8 pieces of seasoned, floured chicken, toss in remaining butter at medium heat to brown edges only.
11. Bring large stockpot back to boil, reduce heat, add browned Onions & Leeks; and 8 Chicken pieces. Cover 35-50 minutes. Ten minutes to go- add some a small handful of 1 inch sized pieces of Vermicelli. 10 minutes later.
12. It’s done! Huzzar!! Serve. I like a little cream and chopped parsley on mine. Season to taste. Enjoy. Save these chicken bones and scavenge for next stock making session. That’s all folks !