Chapter 14

New York Penicillin: Master Chicken Broth Recipes

In This Chapter

Master Chicken Broth to the rescue

Making soups based on chicken broth

Recipes in This Chapter

Master Chicken Broth

Chicken Rice Soup

Chicken Corn Chowder

Matzoh Ball Soup

Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Wonton Soup

Italian Egg-Drop Soup (Stracciatella)

Creamy Asparagus Soup

French Onion Soup

Potato and Leek Soup

H ungry? Well, if you’re in a real rush, you can always go to the cupboard and grab a can of chicken noodle soup. Open the can, pour the soup into a pot, and wait until it comes to a simmer. It smells like soup, but where are the pieces of real chicken and vegetables? Not many to be found, huh? Now if you had been stockpiling rich slow-cooked chicken broth in your freezer, you could prepare delicious homemade soups like the ones in this chapter in less time than it takes to order in a pizza. Sound tempting? We think so!

New York Penicillin

If New York City, the melting pot of the world, had its own dish of culinary distinction, it would have to be chicken soup. As a city made up of hundreds of nationalities, the one common thread amongst them all is some form of soup made with rich, homemade chicken broth. From matzoh ball soup from the Lower Eastside, to lemony Greek avgolemono soupa in Astoria, and wonton soup from the hundreds of Chinese takeout restaurants throughout the city, chicken soup stirs up in you memories of feeling good, regardless of your race, creed, gender, and age, especially if you have a case of the sniffles.

In fact, in 1984 the world-renowned Mayo Clinic endorsed the use of chicken soup in soothing cold symptoms. Since then, New Yorkers and others in the know have been affectionately referring to chicken soup and its many different guises as New York penicillin.

Making and Storing Chicken Broth

To make good chicken soup, you need a great broth of slowly simmered chicken pieces and vegetables. Everything else is basically window dressing. Once the broth ingredients are thrown into the pot, hardly any intervention is required, especially if you’re using your slow cooker. Go out, play a round of golf, wash the car, have a manicure. And all the while, the diverse flavors of the ingredients will be mingling and combining to make a golden yellow elixir full of depth and body. But hey, don’t take our word for it. Try it yourself.

At least one supermarket has chicken on sale in every town across America, every day of the week, so it pays to shop around. If a cut-up fryer or chicken legs are less expensive than a whole bird, then by all means, use it. Ironically, ever since the Buffalo wings craze, wings aren’t as cheap as they used to be. If you’re not a wing person (and many people aren’t), rather than throw them out, freeze them in a resealable plastic freezer bag and use them when making broth. The same advice holds true with the neck. You paid for it, so if you’re not going to eat it, freeze it for making broth later on.

Master Chicken Broth

Having containers of rich chicken broth in the freezer is like having money in the bank. It’s always there for a rainy day or whenever the mood strikes you for a steaming hot bowl of homemade soup. In fact, we make sure that we have at least a quart or two in the freezer at all times, and if not, we start another batch in the slow cooker as soon as we can. We recommend making this recipe in a large 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. To find out how to cut up a whole chicken for soup, see Figure 14-1.

You may wonder why our recipe calls for the addition of one chicken bouillon cube to our homemade broth ingredients list. It’s our secret ingredient for added flavor and body!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: Low 8 to 10 hours

Yield: About 3 to 3 1/2 quarts of broth, or 14 to 16 cups

1 chicken (4 to 5 pounds), cut up

4 chicken wings (for added body)

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 large onion, peeled

2 carrots, scraped and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 bunch parsley, washed and tied together with string

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 chicken bouillon cube

4 quarts cold water

1 Place the chicken quarters, chicken wings, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaf, salt, peppercorns, and bouillon cube in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the water over the chicken and vegetables and stir together.

2 Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.

3 Remove the chicken from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Skin and debone. Set aside the meat, cut into chunks, and freeze for later use. Remove the parsley and bay leaf and discard.

4 Pour the broth and vegetables through a fine mesh strainer, pressing out as much liquid from the vegetables as possible before discarding them. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.

Vary It: Add 1 vine-ripened tomato or two canned plum tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded, and quartered, along with the other ingredients. Or for Oriental-inspired chicken broth, make wonton soup by eliminating the celery and onion and adding 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped, along with a 2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced thin.

Per 1 cup serving: Calories 25 (From Fat 9); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 525mg; Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.

Figure 14-1: How to cut up a whole raw chicken into parts.

Reducing fat content

To reduce fat content, remove and discard chicken skin before placing chicken in the slow cooker. Bear in mind, however, that removing the skin also diminishes the golden, yellow color that’s characteristic of rich chicken broth. A good compromise is to leave the skin on and skim the fat from the broth, as shown in Figure 14-2, after it cools. To do so, place the cooled broth in a large shallow bowl or dish and place in the freezer, space permitting, or in the refrigerator overnight. After 15 minutes in the freezer, or the next day if in the fridge, carefully spoon the congealed fat off the top and discard.

Some housewares stores also sell defatting cups. They resemble a miniature watering can with a long spout and no head. To use, you simply pour or ladle the broth into the defatting cup. The fat portion will separate from the broth, making its way up the spout. Pour off the fat and save the broth.

Figure 14-2: Defatting your chicken broth.

Saving and using cooked chicken

Remove any visible fat from the cooked chicken and cut the meat into 1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks. Freeze chicken in 1-cup quantities along with 4 cups of broth to use when making Chicken Rice Soup, Chicken Corn Chowder, or Matzoh Ball Soup, recipes that you can find in this chapter.

Broth storing and freezing tips

Broth freezes easily and stores well for up to approximately six months. Just remember from Science 101 that liquid expands when frozen, so never fill the container all the way to the top. If you do, the container can crack or the top can pop off. The following are some additional tips we want to share with you.

Because you may use anywhere from 6 cups to up to 4 quarts of broth in the recipes in this chapter, we suggest that you package the broth either in various-sized containers or in 2-cup freezer containers or plastic freezer bags.

Freezer space is always an issue in our homes. We never seem to have enough of it, and plastic containers take up a lot of valuable space. We like to use 1-quart or gallon resealable plastic freezer bags. Just fill and seal, carefully squeezing out as much of the air as possible. Wipe off any spilled broth and lay flat in the freezer, stacking bags on top of each other.

Label your plastic food storage containers or resealable plastic freezer bags before filling and putting them in the freezer. Write what’s in the container or bag, the quantity, the date it was frozen, and a “use by” date, which is two months after the broth was made.

To defrost, remove the container or bag of broth the night before and thaw in the refrigerator overnight, approximately 8 to 12 hours. You can also defrost the broth in your microwave on the defrost or lowest setting, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipes Using the Master Chicken Broth

Picture this: The middle of winter . . . it’s cold and raw outside, and the wind is howling. Sleet is pelting everything in its way, including you as you walk through the parking lot to get to your car. Your face is burning from the icy weather. Finally you reach your car only to find that the lock has frozen. After a few desperate minutes of working with it, the lock thaws, you’re in the car, and you’d give anything for a bowl of piping hot soup for dinner. Well, dream no more. The quick and easy recipes that follow all use a quart of our Master Chicken Broth, previously made in the slow cooker and frozen — like a squirrel stores nuts for the long winter — waiting for moments just like this one.

Note: Although made from the Master Chicken Broth slow cooker recipe, the soul-warming recipes in this section are intended for quick cooking on the stovetop.

Chicken Rice Soup

What better comfort food can there be than chicken rice soup? It’s so reassuring and soothing, just what the doctor (or your mother!) ordered to make you feel better when you have a case of the sniffles. And what could be easier than taking out a container of rich chicken broth from the freezer and sitting down to a bowl of soup less than 60 minutes later?

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

8 cups (2 quarts) Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1 cup diced cooked chicken from making Master Chicken Broth

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 stalk celery, sliced thin

1/2 cup uncooked enriched long-grain white rice

Salt

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 Combine the Master Chicken Broth with the diced chicken and the sliced carrots and celery in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to a simmer. Add the rice and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

2 Taste and adjust for salt. Add parsley before serving.

Per serving: Calories 149 (From Fat 18); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 1071mg; Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 8g.

Variations on the Chicken Rice Soup theme

Here are a few of our favorite variations of the classic Chicken Rice Soup recipe:

Add 1 cup fresh or frozen peas along with the carrots and celery.

Instead of rice, add 2 cups uncooked broad egg noodles to the simmering soup and cook until tender.

Add 2 cups fresh or frozen cheese or meat tortellini pasta to the simmering soup and cook until tender. Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice, along with the parsley, before serving.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Another American classic, this thick chowder is chock-full of goodness and garden-fresh vegetables. It takes a few minutes longer to prepare than some other soups, but the results are worth it!

Preparation time: 15 to 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin

1 stalk celery, sliced thin

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

4 fresh ears of corn, kernels sliced from cob (see Figure 14-3), or 2 cups frozen corn kernels

8 cups (2 quarts) Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1 cup diced cooked chicken from making Master Chicken Broth

1 cup water

Salt

1 cup uncooked broad egg noodles

1 Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the red pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, potato, and corn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated.

2 Add the Master Chicken Broth with the diced chicken and water. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust for salt.

3 Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. To thicken the soup, mash some of the vegetables along the side of the pot with the back of a large mixing spoon.

Per serving: Calories 232 (From Fat 54); Fat 6g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 1072mg; Carbohydrate 36g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 11g.

Figure 14-3: How to cut fresh corn from a cob.

Matzoh Ball Soup

To make perfect matzoh ball soup (illustrated in Figure 14-4), you have to start with homemade “Jewish” or New York penicillin. If you don’t happen to have a Jewish grandmother (“bubbe”) or mother available to make you some, do not kvetch. Our Master Chicken Broth is a pretty close substitute.

Matzoh meal is made from unleavened bread or Jewish matzoh that has been ground finely into a meal-like consistency. It is readily available in most supermarkets in the specialty foods section or in the section where prepared soups and broths are sold.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

3 large eggs, separated

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup matzoh meal

4 quarts water

2 teaspoons salt

8 cups (2 quarts) Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1 cup diced cooked chicken from making Master Chicken Broth

1 In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt until frothy. Fold in the egg yolks. Add the matzoh meal. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

2 Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the water to a second boil. Roll the matzoh mixture into golf-ball-size balls, and drop into the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3 Bring the Master Chicken Broth with diced chicken to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the matzoh balls and serve.

Per serving: Calories 250 (From Fat 63); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 188mg; Sodium 1194mg; Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 23g.

Figure 14-4: How to make matzoh balls.

Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

In Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Spain, and Greece, cooks often add lemon juice to chicken soup before serving it. The following Aegean version, which dates to the days of the ancient Greeks, also includes beaten egg, which adds body and silkiness to the broth.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

6 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1/3 cup uncooked rice

3 large eggs, separated

Juice of 1 large lemon

Salt

1 Bring the Master Chicken Broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to a simmer. Add the rice and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

2 Beat the egg whites until stiff in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks and beat until light. Gradually stir in the lemon juice. Slowly pour 2 cups of the simmering broth into the egg mixture, stirring constantly.

3 Pour the beaten-egg mixture into the broth, stirring constantly so that the egg does not curdle. Continue stirring for 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt. Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories 101 (From Fat 27); Fat 3g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 107mg; Sodium 751mg; Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 7g.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

This south-of-the-border soup is probably the best known and most popular of Mexican soups. Although the corn tortilla strips are traditionally fried in oil, we cut back on a few calories by baking them until crisp in the oven. If your local supermarket doesn’t carry smooth tomato salsa, either use some of our Holy Guacamole Tomato Salsa (Chapter 6) or purchase your favorite brand of chunky salsa and purée it in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups your favorite brand bottled spicy, smooth tomato salsa

5 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

Juice of 2 limes

1 bunch (1/2 cup) cilantro leaves (optional)

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

1 Preheat oven to 350°. Dip each tortilla into a bowl of cold water. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Stack tortillas and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Scatter tortilla strips on a large baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature.

2 Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring often, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until soft.

3 Add the salsa and Master Chicken Broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.

4 Add the lime juice and crispy tortilla strips. Serve in large bowls. If desired, garnish with cilantro leaves, avocado, and sour cream.

Tip: To easily remove the large pit from the avocado, cut it in half lengthwise, cutting around the pit. Separate the avocado halves. Whack the pit with the blade of a sharp chef’s or utility knife. The blade should stick in the pit. As you pull on the knife, the pit should come out easily. See the illustration in Chapter 13.

Per serving: Calories 338 (From Fat 198); Fat 22g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 12mg; Sodium 1016mg; Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 9g.

Wonton Soup

Prepared wonton skins — 3-inch squares of prepared pasta dough — make this recipe as easy as folding napkins. They’re available in the produce section of most supermarkets or at Oriental food markets. One package will be more than enough for this recipe.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons white wine

1/2 teaspoon sesame seed oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound lean ground pork

1 tablespoon thinly sliced green scallion tops

48 wonton skins

4 quarts Master Chicken Broth, Oriental variation, if possible (see recipe in this chapter)

2 green scallion tops, sliced thin (optional)

1 Combine the water, wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the ground pork and the 1 tablespoon of scallion tops. Blend well.

2 Place a scant teaspoon of the meat mixture in the center of a wonton skin. Moisten the edges with water. Fold the wonton in half diagonally to form a triangle. Pinch edges to seal. Moisten two opposite points and bring together. Pinch to join. (Figure 14-5 demonstrates wonton folding.) Place on a clean kitchen towel and cover with another so that the wonton doesn’t dry out. Continue making the remaining wontons.

3 Bring the Master Chicken Broth to a boil in a 6-quart saucepan. Add the wontons and cook until the filling loses its pink color, about 4 minutes. Serve and, if desired, garnish with the scallions.

Per serving: Calories 357 (From Fat 144); Fat 16g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 51mg; Sodium 1654mg; Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 20g.

Figure 14-5: How to fill and fold wontons.

Italian Egg-Drop Soup (Stracciatella)

Stracciatella drives its name from stracetti , which means “little rags” in Italian. When the beaten eggs and cheese are whisked into the hot chicken broth, they break up into small, torn pieces or strands.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

8 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons freshly minced Italian flat-leaf parsley

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Salt

1 Bring the Master Chicken Broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to a simmer.

2 Whisk the grated Parmesan cheese and parsley into the eggs. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the simmering broth, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the egg mixture is broken into fine pieces. Adjust seasoning with salt. Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories 121 (From Fat 60); Fat 7g (Saturated 2.5g); Cholesterol 150mg; Sodium 1071mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 12g.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

For us, the robin redbreast is not the harbinger of spring. The first asparagus we find at our local farmers market is our proof that spring has arrived! And what better way to finish off a cool, bright spring day than with delicious, bright green asparagus soup for dinner, garnished with spiky asparagus tips.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

2 pounds asparagus, stems trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, tips set aside

6 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

Salt

1 Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the potato, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, sliced asparagus stalks, and Master Chicken Broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

2 Remove and discard the bay leaves. Purée the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the soup to the pot. Taste and adjust for salt. Add the asparagus tips and simmer for 4 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 140 (From Fat 60); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 565mg; Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 8g.

French Onion Soup

A far cry from the packaged version in an envelope, real French onion soup is full of slowly cooked, caramelized onions, topped with gooey Swiss cheese. It’s almost a meal in itself!

To bring out the sweet, natural flavor of the onions, slowly cook them with a bit of oil and sugar over low heat. Initially, they sweat or release their natural juices. As the cooking liquid evaporates, the onions’ own sugars and the sugar that you add combine and caramelize, turning the onions a deep golden brown color.

In order to enhance the flavor of the onion even further, add some balsamic vinegar. Traditionally made in Modena, Italy, balsamic vinegar is deep brown in color. It is thick, almost syrupy, and sweet and sour in flavor. Balsamic vinegar is readily available in most supermarkets in the specialty food section or where the other vinegars are sold.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds yellow onions, sliced thin

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 slices French bread, cut diagonally

1 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese

1 Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the sugar, salt, and dried thyme and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions caramelize, about 15 minutes.

2 Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, 15 minutes.

3 Stir in the balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese.

4 Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls. Top each with a French bread slice. Sprinkle with the Gruyère cheese and place under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 369 (From Fat 176); Fat 20g (Saturated 5.5g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 1582mg; Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 15g.

Potato and Leek Soup

Americans unfortunately do not cook as much with leeks as they do with other vegetables. Often referred to as the poor man’s asparagus, leeks add a wonderful mellow flavor to foods when they are allowed to slowly sweat and release their mildly onion-like flavor, as in this fabulous French country pottage, or soup.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well to remove all the grit, sliced thin

4 medium, all-purpose potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

6 cups Master Chicken Broth (see recipe in this chapter)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until soft.

2 Add the potatoes and Master Chicken Broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.

3 Purée the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Taste and adjust for salt. Season with black pepper to taste.

Tip: For instructions on how to wash and slice leeks, see the recipe for Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Couscous in Chapter 8.

Per serving: Calories 221 (From Fat 77); Fat 9g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 804mg; Carbohydrate 28g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 8g.