Jewish Penicillin (Chicken Soup)

Method: Chicken Broth

1. Place chicken in a large black cast iron pot breast-side down.
2. Add onion, garlic, celery, parsley stems, salt, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, cayenne, white and black pepper.
3. Cover with water by at least two inches.
4. Bring the water slowly to a boil over high heat.

Note: You don’t want the stock to boil rapidly or the soup will turn out murky and cloudy.

5. Adjust the heat so that a slow, lazy simmer is established.
6. Skim any foam that rises to the top and discard.
7. Cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 2 hours.
8. When chicken is tender, remove the chicken and let rest until cool enough to handle.
9. Skin and bone chicken, leaving the meat in large chunks; set aside.
10. Discard the skin and bones.
11. Strain the broth through a colander or chinoise.
12. Discard the solids.
13. Skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the broth.

Ingredients: Soup Vegetables

2 cups Yellow Onion, Chopped
1 cup Carrots, Peeled and Sliced ½ inch thick
1 cup Parsnips, Peeled and Sliced ½ inch thick
1 cup Celery, Sliced ¼ inch thick

Method: Soup Vegetables

1. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips and celery.
2. Continue to simmer until the broth is fully flavored and the vegetables crisp tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaves and parsley stems from the broth, and discard.
4. Add reserved chicken.
5. Heat through, then ladle into a bowl.
6. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

Note: For chicken noodle soup, bring soup to a gentle boil; add cooked pasta noodles. For chicken rice soup, substitute cooked long-grain rice for the noodles. Simmer until heated through.

If this “Jewish penicillin” doesn’t cure your cold, mix together in an old-fashioned glass:

1½ ounces of bourbon
2 ounces of hot water
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of sugar

If you have enough of these you won’t even know you have a cold.