Grandma’s Chicken Soup – Jewish Penicillin
This is the perfect pick me up when you’re sick with a fever or the flu. Not only will it sooth a sore throat, clear your stuffy nose and make you feel warm and fuzzy but it will actually enhance your immune system so your cold won’t last as long. I guess that’s why they call it Jewish Penicillin!
Serves 6-8
- 1 whole free range chicken
- 6 large carrots, sliced (I like to keep the skin on for added nutrients).
- 6 celery stalks, peeled and sliced (including leaves for extra flavour)
- 1 brown onion, skin on, sliced into quarters
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, with stalks
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves (tied in a muslin cloth, to make them easier to remove later)
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, skin on, smashed
- 1 cm cube fresh ginger (This isn’t traditional but I like to add it when I’m sick for the added immune boost)!
- A good pinch of sea salt or to taste
- 1 whole lemon
Preparation
- Place the chicken into a large pot, cover with water and then a little extra. Bring to the boil over medium high heat. Continue cooking chicken for 10 – 15 minutes, periodically skimming the foam that forms on the surface. Keep skimming until the foam stops forming.
- Add some fresh water (1-2 cups) to replace the water that has been removed with skimming. Add the carrots, celery, onion, herbs, spices and a pinch of salt to the pot. Bring back to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium low so the soup is gently simmering (a rolling boil will make the stock cloudy). Cook for 1 ½ hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove from heat. Carefully remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool slightly (you want it cool enough to touch as you will be pulling it apart with your hands).
- Meanwhile strain the broth into another pot. Reserve the carrots and celery and discard the spices, herbs and onion. Season with salt.
- If you want to be very traditional you can wait for the soup to completely cool and skim the gel-like fat from the surface of the broth. I usually don’t bother with this, as I tend to make this soup when I’m sick, feeling sorry for myself and the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen when I could be resting in bed. The fat also adds flavor, silkiness and assists hormone production in the body so it’s okay by me.
- Shred the cooled chicken into pieces and add back to the broth with the celery and carrots. Squeeze in lemon juice and reheat if needed.
- Serve nice and hot as the steam is part of the healing benefit of this ‘Jewish Penicillin’. You might want to add a little extra fresh parsley on top or a sprinkle of Parmesan.