THE LIGHTEST OF SOUPS and probably the most challenging to make are clear soups or broths like those in this chapter. Our goal here is cook a broth that is full of flavor but still clear. Cloudiness happens when the protein impurities contained in the liquid coagulate or thicken in small bits. Classic clear bouillons, broths, and consommés may be clarified—traditionally done by adding lightly beaten egg white and crushed egg shells to cold broth heating slowly.
Clear-based broths are versatile and healthy and so easy to concoct.
Because clarifying removes flavor as well as the gelatin that lends body to the broth, it’s important to include meat, aromatic vegetables, and tomato, which helps draw out the impurities, when clarifying. As the mixture is slowly heated, the protein contained in the egg white and the meat draw any protein impurities together as it coagulates and forms a “raft” that rises to the top while continuing to collect particles from the broth. This raft is then scooped out, strained out, or poured through cheesecloth to obtain a limpid broth.
Chefs in the molecular gastronomy movement have developed an elaborate method of clarifying by freezing stock and allowing it to thaw in a mesh strainer over a bowl at just above the freezing temperature of water. As the liquid melts, the gelatin it contains forms a stable network through cross-linking. The network acts as a filter, trapping large particles of fat or protein, while allowing water and smaller, flavoring compounds to pass through. This method yields a very clear stock though it will not have the rich mouthfeel of gelatin, which traps the impurities and is then filtered out.
In this chapter, we make a simple Roasted Chicken Broth (page 20), and move on to Grandma’s Jewish Chicken Soup with Kreplach (page 22), a form of dumpling or ravioli. We also make Sichuan Hot and Sour Soup with Duck, Watercress, and Tofu (page 28) with toasted Sichuan peppercorns. The quickly made Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup) on page 31 is scented with fragrant wild lime leaves and gets its creaminess from using coconut, not dairy products.
The rich Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels (page 33) is traditionally made using a rooster or an old stewing hen and includes rivels, a type of small hand-shaped pasta. This soup, which combines New World corn with Old World dumplings, is often served during large summertime community dinners. The South Indian Tomato-Tamarind Rasam (page 36) is a light vegan soup based on the liquid left after cooking split yellow lentils and tart with tamarind purée. The simple Roman Stracciatella (page 40), an egg and cheese drop soup scented with lemon zest and fresh grated nutmeg, can be prepared in about ten minutes if you’ve got the broth.
BROTHS MADE FROM ROASTED MEAT won’t give off much foam, making it easier to achieve a richly flavored clear broth. Because the cost of a whole chicken isn’t much more than the equivalent amount of chicken breast, it’s worthwhile to roast a whole bird and remove the breast to dice and add to the finished broth, to slice for sandwiches, to shred into chicken salad, and so on. Chicken breast cooked on the bone, as here, will be much juicier than boneless, skinless chicken. It is important to roast the chicken in a pan just large enough to hold it to prevent the delicious, collagen-rich pan juices from burning.
Makes about 3 quarts, (3 L), serves 6 to 9
INGREDIENTS
1 whole roasting chicken, weighing about 5 pounds
1 tablespoon (2.4 g) finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, substitute 1 teaspoon (1.4 g) dried thyme
2 teaspoons (12.5 g) kosher salt, substitute 1 teaspoon (6 g) table or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 quarts (4 L) cold water
1 medium yellow onion, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
3 carrots, about 1/2 pound (225 g), cut into large chunks
3 ribs celery, about 1/4 pound (115 g), sliced about 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick
1. Season the chicken with a mixture of fresh thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper and and then roast it at high heat. After the chicken cools, cut away the breast meat before making the broth.
2. Slide the chicken and any roasting juices from the pan into a large soup pot.
3. If the juices stick to the pan, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and place it in a moderate oven to melt for about 20 minutes. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon (avoid metal) to scrape the melted juices into the pot.
4. Add enough water to cover the chicken by about 2 inches (5 cm), about 4 quarts (4 L). Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam impurities, and reduce heat. Simmer 3 hours or until the bones can be easily broken apart.
5. Now add the vegetables—here a simple mirepoix of cut-up onion, carrot, and celery—and bring back to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 hours longer or until the chicken breaks apart easily.
7. Strain the broth though a china cap or a wire sieve, discarding the solids. (Note that chicken bones may be ground successfully in the garbage disposal but be sure to remove the tough large leg bones first and discard in the trash.) Cool (see Appendix, page 144), and then transfer broth to smaller storage containers, discarding the last 1 inch (2.5 cm) or so of the liquid because it contains the dregs, which fall to the bottom and would make the liquid cloudy.
SOUPMAKER’S TIPS
* Include any giblets but not the liver, which would make the broth cloudy. The better the chicken; the better the flavor. A grain-fed or pastured chicken is the best choice.
GRANDMA WOULD USE an entire pre-salted kosher stewing hen complete with the gelatin-rich feet and she’d leave the golden dots of fat in the bowl when serving for extra richness. In this recipe, we supplement the chicken with inexpensive turkey wings which impart full-bodied flavor and plenty of natural gelatin. (Extra chicken wings or even better, chicken feet—sometimes sold as “chicken paws” will do the same.) A leftover roasted chicken carcass would make a wonderful addition to the pot. The kreplach, thought to be a variation on the word crepe, are the Eastern European (or Ashkenazi) Jewish version of Chinese wonton and Italian ravioli and may have been brought to eastern Europe by traders along the Silk Route from China or from traders bringing goods from Italy. Though sometimes hard to find, root parsley, also known as Hamburg parsley, is a traditional soup vegetable. Substitute celery root for part or all of the celery ribs, if desired. This soup freezes well without the kreplach. Freeze the kreplach separately, preferably uncooked.
Ingredients for nourishing, reviving Jewish Chicken Soup to cure what ails you.
Makes 3 quarts (3 L), serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 whole large (about 5 pounds, or 2.3 kg) roaster chicken, or 5 pounds (2.3 kg) chicken backs and necks
2 pounds (907 g) turkey wings (optional: include chicken feet and/or chicken wings)
3 ribs celery, divided (1 whole and 2 finely diced)
2 parsley roots, divided (1 whole and 1 peeled and thinly sliced, or substitute parsnip)
3 carrots, divided (1 whole and 2 peeled and thinly sliced)
2 leeks, washed thoroughly, divided (1 whole and 1 thinly sliced)
1 whole yellow onion
2 to 3 large sprigs dill
2 bay leaves
Beef Kreplach (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons (7 g) chopped dill, for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the chicken parts, turkey wings, (and chicken feet and chicken wings, if desired), along with about 1 gallon (4 L) cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming off any foam. When no more foam rises up, add the whole celery, parsley root, carrot, leek, onion, dill sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring back to a boil and skim as necessary. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook 4 to 6 hours, or up to overnight.
2. Strain out the solids and discard them. Cool the soup and chill overnight in the refrigerator and then remove and discard the solid fat from the top. Alternatively, allow the soup broth to rest so that the fat rises to the top and then skim off and discard as much of the fat as possible. Use a paper towel placed directly onto the soup to mop up more of the fat.
3. When ready to serve the soup, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the kreplach and boil 3 to 4 minutes or until the edges (where there is a double layer of dough) are tender and floppy rather than stiff. Drain.
4. Bring the soup to a boil and add the diced celery, sliced parsley root, sliced carrots, sliced leeks, and chopped dill. Bring to a boil, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and add the boiled kreplach.
5. Serve the soup piping hot and enjoy!
KREPLACH DOUGH:
Makes about 1 pound (455 g) dough
3/4 pound (3 cups minus 3 tablespoons, or 340 g) all-purpose flour or pastry flower
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water
Brown-shell eggs, which have thicker shells than white eggs so they stay fresher longer, and unbleached all-purpose or pastry flour make for tender, pliable dough.
1. Measure the flour, preferably by weighing on a digital scale for accuracy. Add the salt and combine.
2. Mound the flour in a large bowl to form a flour “volcano” with a “crater” in the middle. Pour the eggs and water into the crater. Using a table fork, begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim.
3. Once you incorporate about half the flour and the mixture has formed a shaggy mass, transfer the dough to a work surface, preferably a wooden board, which has been dusted lightly with flour.
4. Begin to knead the dough while incorporating the remaining flour, turning the dough mass over several times while kneading so that the moist side of the dough is exposed to the flour, encouraging the flour to be absorbed.
Use the heel of your palm to push the dough down and away, then fold the edge over top to keep a basically round dough ball. Rotate the dough mass clockwise if you are left handed and counterclockwise if right handed.
Continue kneading the dough about 5 minutes or until the dough is cohesive and moderately smooth. (Running the dough through the pasta sheeter will develop the gluten further, making it smooth and elastic.) The dough should stick lightly to your fingers. Form the dough into a round ball pulling from the outside to the center on the bottom, so the bottom portion joins together in the center and the top is smooth.
Cover the dough with a bowl or a damp cloth, or wrap in plastic and allow it to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling. The dough will continue to absorb flour as it rests and relaxes.
Meanwhile, prepare the kreplach filling (recipe follows).
KREPLACH FILLING:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound (225 g) ground beef
2 tablespoons (8 g) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet; add the onions and garlic, and sauté until well browned. Add the ground beef to the pan and brown on high heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the parsley.
2. Transfer the beef mixture to a medium bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, crack the egg at the widest part of the shell so the shell breaks into two relatively even halves. Allow most of the white to drain out and discard or reserve for another use (egg whites freeze very well).
4. Transfer the yolk back and forth from one half of the shell to the other to drain off the remaining white.
5. Add the yolk to the cooled beef mixture and thoroughly combine the meat-onion mixture with the egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Cool and then refrigerate filling about 1 hour before using.
* As the dough is rolled out thinner, it may begin to get sticky, especially on the next-to-last and last rounds. Dust with more flour as needed but don’t overdo it. Once you fully roll out the pasta, coat it with a thin to nonexistent layer of flour. Any excess flour that is not incorporated into the dough will wash off in the cooking water and tend to make gluey pasta.
* If the dough breaks apart, is irregularly shaped, or sticks to the machine and makes holes, do not worry. Just fold up the sheet of dough into a regular shape that fits the width of the pasta machine. Dust the new sheet of dough with flour, and start rolling again, again following all the steps.
* If the dough is elastic and wants to spring back, push back into a compact shape, cover, and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Celery and carrot trimmings, leek root sections and any light-colored leaf trimmings (do not use the dark outer leaves, which will be dark and bitter), dill stems, parsley root parings (especially good in chicken and vegetable stocks)—soak the parings in cold water to remove the dirt from in between the rootlets.
ASSEMBLING THE KREPLACH:
1. Cut the dough ball into four sections, keeping all but one covered to prevent the dough from forming a hard skin.
2. Using the palm of your hand, flatten out a section of dough by hand.
3. Form the dough into a rough “tongue” shape. Dust lightly with flour on both sides. Using a hand-cranked pasta sheeter with the largest opening between the rollers (number 1 or 0), roll out the dough. Close up the opening between the rollers to number 1 or 2 and roll the dough section out again so that it’s long and thin.
4. Remove the dough from the machine and fold in thirds lengthwise, dimpling with your fingers so the layers adhere. (The object is to get an even piece of dough almost as wide as the rollers.)
5. Place the dough crosswise in the slot of the pasta sheeter. Go back to the largest opening, either 0 or 1 on the pasta sheeter, as the dough is now double-thick.
6. Begin feeding the folded dough through the sheeter while cranking smoothly, sprinkling on both sides with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
7. Continue to roll, reducing the thickness of the dough one number for each round of rolling until the dough is quite thin but not transparent, usually the next to last or second to last setting on the machine. Do not skip any numbers as the action of rolling also kneads the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
8. Cut the dough sheet into 2 or 3 lengths to make them easier to handle. Trim off the ends to make a straight line.
9. To make squares, fold the dough in thirds crosswise to make guide lines.
10. Unfold and cut along the guide lines to make 3 fat strips.
11. Dust the strips lightly with flour, then place them one on top of the next in an even stack.
13. Separate into individual pieces, keeping most of the squares covered with a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Have the chilled filling ready.
14. Using your fingertips or a small teaspoon, place 1 generous teaspoon (1 g) of the kreplach filling in the center of each square.
Take care not to get any filling on the edges of the dough because it will prevent the dough from forming a good seal.
15. Pull the far edge of the dough over the filling for each kreplach.
16. Starting at the top point, press the edges together to form a triangle (or half-moon, if using dough circles). Push out the excess air from the open sides and press the edges together firmly to seal. If the edges don’t stick together (because the dough is too firm and/or the air in the room is too dry), use your fingertip to brush the edges with a little water before pressing the edges together.
17. Continue filling and shaping the kreplach until all the filling is used, arranging the filled kreplach on a mesh pasta drying rack or a clean cotton cloth sprinkled lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
18. If desired, gather together excess dough, wrap and allow it to rest 30 minutes to relax the gluten, then roll out and cut into thin strips for noodles. Either add to the soup or dry and reserve for another use.
Cover the finished kreplach with a clean, slightly damp towel to keep them from hardening until you’re ready to cook them.
THIS SOUP MAY BRING tears to your eyes and is a reputed cold remedy, especially because it contains abundant chopped fresh ginger root. Served in countless versions in Chinese restaurants across North America and elsewhere, it is usually made with chicken or pork broth seasoned with a mixture of hot chile pepper, earthy, hot ground white pepper, and Chinese black vinegar and lightly thickened with cornstarch. Common additions include bamboo shoots, toasted sesame oil, wood ear mushrooms, dried daylily buds, and tofu skin. Both the provinces of Beijing and Sichuan claim the soup as a regional specialty though this version comes from Sichuan province. Here we use duck breast and chicken broth (or stock) and we season it with toasted Sichuan peppercorns and dark, umami-rich mushroom soy sauce.
Makes 1 gallon (4 L), serves 12 to 15
MARINATED DUCK:
1/2 pound (225 g) boneless duck breast, skin removed and reserved for another use
2 teaspoons (3 g) Sichuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon (15 ml) mushroom soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice wine, substitute sake dry sherry or Marsala
1 tablespoon (6 g) minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon (3 g) minced garlic
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
1. Place the duck meat (here two Pekin duck breasts with the skin and fat removed) in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until firm but not hard.
2. Slice the duck against the grain (crosswise on the breast) into thin slices.
3. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet with no oil and add the Sichuan peppercorns. Toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Shake out most of the black inner seeds, if present, and discard.
4. Cool, then lightly crush the Sichuan peppercorns with a meat mallet or the side of a chef’s knife.
5. In a medium bowl combine mushroom soy, Sichuan peppercorns, rice wine, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch.
6. Add to the duck and toss to coat.
7. Cover and refrigerate marinated duck for 1 to 2 hours to absorb the marinade.
8. Place the duck with its marinade and 1 cup (235 ml) water in a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until the duck is opaque, about 3 minutes. Cool and reserve for soup (recipe follows).
SOUPMAKER’S TIPS
* Sichuan peppercorns are small reddish-brown dried fruits of the prickly ash tree that impart a lingering tingly numbness to the mouth. Their lemony aroma accented by a warm and woodsy flavor is in the fruit itself, not the seeds, which are often removed because of their unpleasant, gritty texture. Lower quality Sichuan peppercorns may contains bits of pointy thorns that can be harmful if swallowed, so check and remove if necessary. In Sichuan cuisine, the peppercorns are lightly toasted and crushed before adding them to food, generally at the last moment and often in combination with fiery chiles or chili oil.
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Duck trimmings, duck skin (chop or grind and render—cook very slowly—for delicious duck fat, which is great for frying potatoes), ginger trimmings (add to chicken stock), shiitake mushroom stems (for mushroom stock), scallion root ends.
1/2 pound (225 g) fresh firm tofu, drained on paper towels
3 quarts (3 L) Roasted Chicken Broth (see page 20) or Chicken Stock (see page 9)
1/2 pound (225 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) mushroom soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) rice wine
2 teaspoons (10 ml) roasted Japanese sesame oil
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
Cooked Marinated Duck (recipe page 29)
1/4 pound (115 g) snow pea pods, trimmed and sliced into thin strips (see Appendix, page 146)
1 bunch scallions, sliced on the bias into 1/2-inch (1 cm) sections
1/4 cup (60 ml) Chinese black vinegar, substitute balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Chinese hot chili oil, or to taste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground white pepper
1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped cilantro leaves
1. Cut tofu first into slices; then, cut slices into batons.
2. Cut batons into small, even cubes and reserve.
3. Pour the Roasted Chicken Broth into a large soup pot and bring to a boil, skimming as necessary.
4. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir to combine.
5. Combine mushroom soy, rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and reserve, using your fingers to mix in the starch that tends to sink to the bottom after a few minutes.
6. Pour the cornstarch/soy mixture into the broth and stir to combine. Bring liquid back to a boil, stirring occasionally so the cornstarch is evenly distributed and the soup is lightly thickened.
7. Add the reserved cooked duck meat and cooking liquid.
8. Add the snow pea julienne and stir to combine.
9. Add the reserved tofu, scallions, black vinegar, chili oil, white pepper, and cilantro and stir to combine.
10. Serve the soup piping hot in a tureen, as shown, or in large soup bowls.
TOM KHA GAI (OR KAI), which means “chicken galangal soup,” is a spicy Thai and Laotian soup made with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, and chicken. The Laotian version uses dill; the Thai version uses cilantro and Thai basil. Look for the richest (thickest) coconut milk, sometimes known as coconut cream, and make sure it’s the unsweetened type (the sweetened type is used for cocktails). This quick-cooking soup is easy to make once you’ve gathered the ingredients. If you find fresh lime leaves at a Thai grocery, buy extra and freeze them (freezing darkens the color but retains the flavor). This soup does not freeze well.
Ingredients for Tom Kha Gai.
Makes 3 quarts (3 L), serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
1 stalk fresh lemongrass
1 Thai green chile pepper, very thinly sliced (or substitute serrano or other small, hot green chile), plus extra for garnish
2 cans (14 ounces, or 425 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1 quart (1 L) Chicken Stock (page 9)
2 tablespoons (12 g) minced fresh galangal (substitute 2 teaspoons, or 2 g, dried galangal or 2 tablespoons, or 12 g, fresh ginger)
8 wild lime leaves (also known as kaffir lime)
3/4 pound (340 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1/4 pound (115 g) shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons (15 g) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Sriracha sauce
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (8 g) shredded cilantro and/or Thai basil
1. Remove and discard the outer woody outer layers of the lemongrass.
2. Thinly slice the tender, inner layers of the lemongrass, which are pink.
3. After handling fresh chiles, take care not to touch tender body parts with your fingers. (For protection, you may want to wear gloves when slicing chiles.)
4. Combine the lemongrass, coconut milk, Chicken Stock, galangal (here dried galangal), and lime leaves in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes, partially covered. Strain out solids and pour broth back into the same pot.
5. Add the chicken breast, shiitake mushrooms (optional), fish sauce, and brown sugar.
Simmer the soup mixture 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is opaque and just cooked through, and then remove from the heat. Add the lime juice and Sriracha sauce and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
6. Sprinkle each portion with cilantro leaves and/or Thai basil and a few slices of Thai green chile peppers and serve.
SOUPMAKER’S TIPS
Special Thai Ingredients: Galangal, a rhizome (swollen underground root) related to ginger, consists of reddish-tan cylindrical sections divided by tougher reddish-brown rings and a fibrous interior. Warm, sweet, and spicy, galangal’s flavor is reminiscent of cinnamon, ginger, and pine. Ginger is the best substitute. Fresh, frozen, or dried galangal are available at many Asian markets.
* Fish sauce is the umami-rich liquid drained off after fermenting small fish with sea salt with a pronounced aroma. This thin, amber sauce is a staple in southeast Asian coastal cuisine.
* Wild lime leaves, often called “kaffir,” are the perfumed leaves of a southeast Asian citrus fruit. The glossy, grass-green leaves resemble two leaves joined end to end and slightly twisted. Look for fresh wild lime leaves at Southeast Asian markets. Frozen leaves will have all the perfume of the fresh product but with darker color.
* Coconut milk is the rich, creamy liquid derived from soaking the grated meat of a mature coconut in water; coconut water is the liquid from a young coconut. Coconut milk has half the fat content of heavy cream. The fat will often rise to the top of the can, so shake well before opening.
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Ginger skin, extra lime leaves, chicken breast trimmings, shiitake mushroom stems (Shiitake stems are packed with smoky mushroom flavor. Trim off the ends and add to mushroom stock.)
THIS SOUP IS TRADITIONALLY made using rooster, which is difficult to find in the United States, unless you live on a farm or know someone who does. Though tough, the bird will impart deep, intense flavor to the soup. In its absence, we use Chicken Stock in place of water to poach a roasting chicken. Saffron, widely grown in Pennsylvania Dutch country, imparts its golden color, pungent, bittersweet flavor and haylike aroma to the soup. Add a goodly amount of sweet corn and corn broth, simple hand-rolled egg noodles (or you can substitute purchased egg noodles), and you’ve got a satisfying meal in a bowl. You may enrich the soup by sprinkling it with chopped hard-cooked eggs just before serving.
Pennsylvannia Dutch Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels is infused with leaves of the old-fashioned herb, lovage, which looks and tastes like extra-large celery leaves on long, hollow stalks and is known as mountain celery in many languages.
Makes 1 gallon (4 L), serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
2 quarts (2 L) Chicken Stock (page 9)
2 quarts (2 L) Corncob Stock (page 10)
1 large whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds (2.3 kg), preferably a large stewing or roasting hen or capon
1 large carrot
2 ribs celery
1 large onion stuck with 4 whole cloves (see Appendix, page 148)
4 sprigs lovage, or substitute flat-leaf parsley
1/2 lemon
1 pound (455 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 ears of fresh corn
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
3/4 cup inner stalks celery and leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound (225 g) or so Rivels (recipe follows)
1/4 cup (15 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
In a large soup pot, bring the Chicken and Corncob Stocks to a boil. Add the whole chicken including any giblets but not the liver, which makes for a cloudy broth. Bring the liquid, which should cover the chicken by about 2 inches (5 cm), back to a boil, skimming as needed to obtain a clear broth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 2 hours.
2. Reduce heat and simmer slowly 30 minutes longer or until the chicken is very tender. The broth should never boil, because it will become cloudy.
3. Remove most of the chicken from the broth using tongs or a slotted spoon to make the broth easier to strain.
4. When ready the chicken should fall away easily from the bones. At this point the chicken has lost its nutrients and most of its flavor and may be discarded, though you may use it for chicken salad, croquettes, or other highly-seasoned recipe if desired.
5. Strain the broth, discarding the contents of the strainer.
6. Allow the broth to settle about 10 minutes and then skim off and discard as much of the fat floating on top as possible, using a ladle or cook’s spoon.
Return the stock to the pot, add the chicken breasts and poach at a low simmer until the chicken is firm and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the broth, allow them to cool, and then cut into small dice.
Meanwhile, cut the kernels from the ears of corn (see Appendix, page 145). It is important to get the most “milk” from the corn, so cut the corn with a sharp knife (not too close to the cob) and go back over the cob with the flat of the knife to release the “milk.”
Add the corn, saffron, and chopped celery to the broth and simmer until the celery is tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Add the Rivels, dropping them into the liquid one at a time so they don’t stick together and boil until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. For a clearer soup, boil the Rivels separately in salted water. Drain and add to the soup just before serving.
8. At the last minute, stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
Rivels are small bits or strands of fresh egg noodle dough formed by hand of German origin. They are essential for traditional Pennsylvania Dutch chicken corn soup.
Makes about 1/2 pound (225 g)
INGREDIENTS
6 ounces (170 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
1. Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt.
2. Whisk the egg, yolk, and water together.
3. Make a well in the center. Pour egg mixture into the well and mix with a fork to incorporate the flour.
4. Continue mixing to incorporate all the flour, beating in a clockwise direction if you’re right handed and counterclockwise if you’re left handed. A stiff dough should form.
The dough will soften considerably as it rests and hydrates—absorbs the liquid. Wrap the dough in plastic film or cover with a damp towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before proceeding.
5. Break off small pieces of dough and dip into flour. Shape in your hand into small, rough stringlike lengths.
6. Using the palms of your hands, smoothly roll one strip at a time from the center toward the outside edges using light, even pressure, as if you were working with modeling clay.
7. Continue rolling the strips, dusting them with flour before dropping into a loose pile. Once all the strips have been rolled out, pick up the pile of strips, dust once more with flour, and shake so they are all coated. Spread the strips onto a flour-dusted baking pan or clean cloth to dry the rivels for use later. Or, shake off any loose flour and drop the rivels into the soup as soon as they are completed.
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Onion, carrot, celery trimmings; lovage and parsley stems; and corncobs. Avoid adding a large quantity of parsley stems to your stock as they contain a high proportion of chlorophyll, which will make for an overly dark, slightly bitter stock.
RASAM, A LIGHT SOUP from southern India, is flavored with tart tamarind pulp, tomato, chile pepper, pepper, cumin, and other spices combined in a mixture known as Rasam powder, which may also be purchased. The liquid from cooking split yellow lentils (or tuvar dal) is the soup base. The cooked dal is strained out and reserved for another use, such as seasoned dal over rice or lentil cakes. Rasam, which means “juice” in Sanskrit, is traditionally prepared with black pepper and tamarind, both native to and abundant in southern India. Rasam is the basis of the Anglo-Indian Mulligatawny soup, a corrupted version of two Tamil words meaning “pepper water.” Curry leaves—which are available fresh at Indian markets or dried, though with far less of their unique nutty fragrance—are essential. Rasam is often served over a scoop of cooked Basmati rice to make a more substantial dish. This soup is vegan. It freezes very well.
Makes 3 quarts (3 L), serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
1 pound (455 g) tuvar dal, also known as split yellow lentils or split pigeon peas
2 quarts (2 L) water, divided
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (22 g) black mustard seeds
3 sprigs curry leaves, leaves pulled from their stalks
1/2 teaspoon asafetida, optional
6 large red ripe tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon (15 g) Rasam Powder (see “Making Rasam Powder [or Rasam Podi,” page 38])
1 teaspoon (2.2 g) turmeric
1/4 pound (115 g) tamarind pulp, makes about 1/2 cup (120 ml) strained pulp (see “Making Tamarind Purée,” page 39)
2 tablespoons (15 g) dark brown sugar
Salt
1/2 cup (40 g) grated fresh or frozen coconut, for garnish
Cilantro, for garnish
Combine the dal with 6 cups (1.5 L) water in a medium soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
1. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet and add mustard seeds. Cover and cook over moderate heat, shaking the pan, until the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook until the seeds finish popping, about 1 minute longer.
2. Uncover, add the curry leaves and asafetida and cook briefly together until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reserve the contents of the pan.
3. Strain dal through a sieve or china cap.
4. Reserve the liquid for the soup and reserve the cooked lentils for another use.
5. Pour the cooking liquid back into the pot. Add the curry leaf mixture, tomatoes, Rasam Powder, turmeric, and about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the strained tamarind pulp—more if you prefer a more tart flavor. Add the dark brown sugar and season to taste with salt; stir to combine.
6. Garnish each portion with grated coconut and cilantro just before serving.
7. Serve the soup immediately.
SOUPMAKER’S TIPS
* Look for frozen grated coconut in Asian and Latin American markets. It’s as close as possible to fresh without the work!
* Asafetida is an intriguing spice that lends a deep savory, or umami, note to many Indian vegetarian legume dishes. Its name translates in many languages to “devil’s dung” because of its potent, even stinking, aroma. The dried yellow-brownish resin is extracted from the root of the plant, which is in the fennel and parsley family and grows wild from Central Asia to the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The pure resin is the strongest; next is gray hing—its common name in Indian markets. The mildest version is yellow, which has been mixed with turmeric and other ingredients including wheat flour. Definitely an acquired taste, but once you learn to love it, there is no substitute. A little goes a long way.
* Native to tropical India, curry leaves (bottom left and right), are small oval leaves in the citrus family with an earthy, nutty aroma hinting of tangerine and anise. The leaflets, which are dark green on top and pale underneath, run in pairs up the smaller branches of the curry tree and give off a strong, warm aroma when bruised or rubbed. They are essential to the vegetarian cuisine of southern India and Sri Lanka. Curry leaves quickly lose their fragrance when dried so they are used fresh (or frozen) but will last for 1 to 2 weeks refrigerated. Look for fresh, perky, shiny fresh curry leaves or frozen curry leaves in Indian groceries.
This south Indian spice mix is essential for South Indian Tomato-Tamarind Rasam. Try using it to season grilled fish, chicken, or vegetables or sprinkle over cooked rice or legumes. Do not grind the powder finely; it should be rather grainy. Store the Rasam Powder in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for a month or frozen for up to 6 months.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (151 g)
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup (60 g) coriander seeds
1 tablespoon (6 g) cumin seeds
1 tablespoon (5 g) black peppercorns
1 teaspoon (3.5 g) fenugreek seeds
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon (preferably true cinnamon from Sri Lanka—see “Soupmaker’s Tips”)
2 tablespoons (7 g) hot red pepper flakes (or other ground hot red chile)
1/4 cup (28 g) bright red paprika
1. Combine the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, fenugreek, and cloves in a small skillet and toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2. Cool, combine with remaining ingredients and grind in a spice grinder or coffee mill to a fine powder. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.
SOUPMAKER’S TIPS
* True cinnamon is the sweetly scented inner bark of the cinnamon tree. Its flavor is warm and spicy yet sweet and delicate and blends well with other spices. Also known as soft-stick cinnamon, true cinnamon sticks will be friable enough to be easily crushed by hand. Cassia, sold as cinnamon in North America, and usually from Indonesia, Vietnam, or China, is thicker and dark reddish brown with a much more potent bold, peppery flavor. Cassia sticks are rolled from the two outer sides toward the center; true cinnamon is up like a rug. Look for true cinnamon sticks and ground powder in specialty spice stores or southern Indian markets (see Resources, page 154).
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Tomato trimmings, extra curry leaves
Tamarind pods are brittle and are filled with hard brown seeds surrounded by tangy, stringy edible pulp with a lemony prune flavor. Fresh tamarind pods are available in season in Latin American, Indian, and Asian markets, but the fruit is usually purchased in the form of a dense block of pulp with or without its large hard brown seeds—preferably without. Frozen tamarind purée may be found in Latin American markets and is easy to use. Salted tamarind concentrate may be found in small jars in Indian and sometimes Asian markets. It is more concentrated and salty, so use about half as much as strained tamarind pulp and cut down on salt in any recipe. Reserve remaining tamarind pulp for another use—it freezes well.
Curved brown fresh tamarind pods with dense, gooey inner pulp.
1. To prepare block tamarind, cut or tear off a piece of the block and soak in warm water to cover about 30 minutes or until the pulp is soft enough to break apart with your hands. If using fresh tamarind, break open the pods, scrape out the pulp, and then soak about 30 minutes.
2. Force the soft pulp through a sieve using your hands as shown, or force through a food mill, discarding any seeds and fibers.
3. Be sure to scrape off the pulp sticking to the back of the sieve. Store tamarind purée refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
STRACCIATELLA—from the Italian stracciato, meaning “torn apart” as in rags—is an Italian egg-drop soup usually said to be alla Romana (in the style of Rome). It is prepared by beating eggs, adding grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sometimes semolina, and then adding this mixture to boiling broth. The broth is set whirling first with a whisk, and the beaten egg mixture is added in a slow stream to produce the stracciatelle (little shreds) of cooked egg in the broth, which is clarified by the process. In Italy, stracciatella also refers to vanilla gelato with chocolate shavings or to strands of fresh mozzarella that have been pulled apart and mixed with fresh cream and used to stuff burrata, especially in the Murgia region of Puglia.
Makes 3 quarts (3 L), serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
1 lemon
3 quarts (3 L) Roasted Chicken Broth or rich Beef Stock (page 20 or 8), divided
6 tablespoons (89 ml) semolina
6 tablespoons (30 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup (15 g) chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil leaves
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
6 large eggs
2 cups (40 g) lightly packed spinach leaves, cut in thin strips
Salt and pepper
SAVE FOR STOCK:
Egg shells (use to help clarify clear broth), Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (add to vegetable soup such as minestrone or Acquacotta Maremmana, page 83, to flavor the broth—or grill them and serve with drinks), parsley and basil stems, peeled lemon (cut in half and add to fish, chicken, or vegetable stock)
1. Grate the aromatic yellow rind of the lemon without any of the bitter white pith underneath and reserve.
Measure out 1 cup (235 ml) of the Roasted Chicken Broth and refrigerate so that it is cold. In a large stock pot, bring the remaining stock to a boil.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cold broth, semolina, cheese, parsley, basil, nutmeg, and lemon zest.
3. Whisk until well blended.
4. Pour in the eggs (which we have broken into a measure first to make sure that no stray shell bits are included) and whisk to blend. Transfer the egg mixture to a container with a spout for easy pouring.
5. Stir the boiling broth in a circular motion to make a whirlpool in the center and begin pouring the egg mixture into the center.
6. Gradually drizzle the remaining egg mixture into the broth, stirring gently with a fork to form strands of egg shreds, and cook about 1 minute or until the egg has coagulated and the broth itself is clear.
7. Stir in the spinach and then season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until the spinach has wilted but is still bright green.
8. Taste for seasoning, and then divide the mixture among warmed soup bowls. Serve immediately, topped with more grated cheese if desired.
