CHICKEN SOUP TO CROW ABOUT
And it takes much less time and effort than most people realize
A bowl of chicken soup satisfies at almost any time of year because it’s the lightest comfort food around.
Its aroma is as complex as that of handcrafted coffee, with a hint of sweetness and grassy herb.
All of that doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. However, it can take less work and less time than you may think. Through testing and tips from experts, we have developed a method for making chicken soup that fits the description above (see recipe).
You need a whole chicken, cut up, because the combination of meat and bones and fat will give you the best shot.
You will strip away and reserve all its skin except for what’s on the wings.
With enough water to cover, everything cooks in well under an hour, brought first to something less than a full boil, then reduced to a stovetop heat that promotes lazy surface bubbles. (A long spell in a slow cooker can achieve the same result.)
At this point, you would taste for the essence of chicken, says chef Guy Brandt of Brooklyn’s Deli in Potomac, Md. If it’s not so pronounced, stir in a dollop of prepared soup base or bouillon concentrate.
Turn off the heat and let the mix cool down, then cover and refrigerate overnight. This is an important infusion step that makes a nightand-day difference in flavour.
The next day, or the day after that double-strain the broth. Shred the chicken and refrigerate it in some of that broth; that way, the meat won’t dry out or cause the broth to become cloudy.
When you’re ready to serve, you can sauté new chopped carrot, celery and onion, or just toss the first two, along with the shredded chicken, into the strained broth as it reheats.
Cooking any noodles separately and rinsing them will help keep the soup clear; add them and a handful of chopped fresh dill or tarragon and warm through.
Before you season your chicken soup with salt, taste and add a generous splash of lemon juice — it will brighten and heighten flavours more than you can imagine.