THE BEST IN THE WORLD CHICKEN SOUP

WINTER IS A TIME FOR SOUP

I do most of the cooking in our house, and my wife lets me. 

Today I did the best in the world chicken soup; so I thought I would share the recipe.

First, you have to cook a chicken: I cook my chicken in the slow cooker with one and a half lemons stuffed into the cavity along with four garlic cloves – the other half of lemon I squeeze over the breast; then liberally cover the breast with herbs of Provence.  I add one cup of chicken stock (I prefer McKay’s – one teaspoon to a cup of water, and available at our local natural food store.)

After the chicken is done I save the stock.   When I am ready for a soup I scoop about half the chicken fat from the top of the stock (I toss the other half,) put it in the soup pot with some olive oil – enough to cote the bottom of the pot.

I cut up the trinity: half an onion, three stalks of celery and four garlic cloves.   I also thin slice three carrots – add it all to the pot and cook for two to three minutes.

 Next I add the gelatin like stock to the pot and heat until it liquefies, then I add a cup of McKays chicken stock and the juice from half a lemon.   

When this comes to a boil I add the cut up leftover chicken, generous amounts of thyme, marjoram and rosemary, and pepper-to-taste

I simmer this soup about forty-five minutes and then add a cup of no-yoke, wide noodles; cooking for fifteen minutes more until the noodles are tender.   

When I am ready to serve I thin slice up my cheese-of-choice with a vegetable peeler and covet the top of each steaming bowl with thin strips of cheese. 

As you can see I make this in small amounts since it is just the wife and me.   It makes four generous bowls.   

Extra note: in case you didn’t know the best way to clean a cheese knife/slicer/peeler is with cold water – never hot.

This is great with homemade bread with butter and a glass of white wine. 

the Ol’Buzzard