Chicken Soup for the Soul!

I grew up in Jerusalem and have two Jewish grandmothers. They both made chicken soup every week.

Although their soup was slightly different, the effects were the same. It warmed your soul, and made you feel good.

I have learned how to make each soup many years ago, and have, over the years, combined both recipes into one super soup that here at our house we absolutely love!

Note: When I cook I don’t use exact measurements, so I’ll try to be specific. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions about quantities or the process.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs and legs, I usually use 4 but less is fine.

• 1 large yellow onion

• 3-4 cloves of garlic

• 2 courgettes

• 1/2 large celeriac or 1 small one

• Curly leaf parsley

• 4-5 medium carrot

• 10-12 baby potatoes, or 2 large potatoes diced

• Salt and Pepper corns (or ground pepper)

Add the Chicken once the water begins to boil

Method:

Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt close to a boil and add the chicken.

Cut the Veggies while the chicken is boiling

While the chicken is coming to a boil, dice the veggies into medium-small pieces, to your taste really. Make sure to include the parsley stalks as well as the leaves they are a very important source of nutrients and flavour!

My grandmother on my mum’s side (Lydia) likes to leave the onion whole in the soup after peeling it because her children didn’t like the texture. This enables her to remove it when the soup is ready. I have adapted this method myself for the same reason. You may cut up the onion if you like it doesn’t change the flavour.

Skim the foam created by the chicken before adding the veg.

Once the chicken begins to boil it will form a foam on the top of the water, you must skim this foam. I don’t know why, but both my grandma’s insist on this step. And so I pass it on to you.

Add veg minus the parsley

After removing all the foam and the water is more clear add all the vegetables but not the parsley.

Wait for the water to come back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the parsley and pepper corns (or ground pepper), reduce heat to a simmer for about 45 min to 1 hour depending on the size of the pot your making.

Add parsley after reboil and then reduce

Peppercorns

simmer for about 45 min to 1 hour.

I sometimes add dill, sometimes I replace potatoes with swede, add parsnips instead of carrot, or maybe celery instead of courgette. The possibilities are endless!

Written by Nir one of our fabulous Sports Massage Therapists