Bea's Chicken Soup
“I learned this recipe from my grandmother, and that the secret to a great chicken soup is to use all the bones (and a few feet too), and let it cook slowly over a long period of time. Reduce. Reduce. Reduce.”
–Bea Tollman
Celebrity Chef & Founder of Red Carnation Hotels
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 2/3 lbs (3 kg) chicken, halved and quartered with neck, gizzards and feet if possible
- 4 large carrots, whole
- 4 stalks celery
- 2 medium onions, whole
- 4 large whole leeks, cut in half
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 peppercorns
- 6 parsley sprigs
- 2–3 organic chicken bouillon cubes (in lieu of any salt)
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) fine noodles, cooked separately
Preparation:
- Put the chicken pieces, carrots, celery, onions, leeks, bay leaves, peppercorns and parsley in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add two chicken bouillon cubes. Skim, and then simmer for about 6 hours. Strain the soup into a clean pan. Dice a handful of carrots and chicken meat from the soup and set aside.
- Bring the soup back to a boil and adjust the seasoning for saltiness. If required, add another bouillon cube.
- Add a few cooked noodles with a little of the diced chicken and carrots previously set aside to each bowl of soup.
Serves 8