Make This: Rich Chicken Soup

I’ve been at home all week nursing my wounds from a trip to New York City - specifically, a nice fresh case of Flu A.

To combat the situation, I sent my mother-in-law a grocery request. When the goods were deposited upon our back porch, I made rich chicken soup, fortified with vegetables and reduced until it was grippy and concentrated.

When I pull the leftovers from the fridge, the soup resembles aspic with bits of chicken and carrot suspended in the concentrated stock. A quick reheat, and it relaxes into a more natural state. This kind of soup coats the stomach and soothes. It is a wundersuppe - simple but full of life.

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Miracle Soup

This soup is inspired by one we ate in Switzerland several years ago, after catching something very nasty in Zurich. Seeking recovery, we left the city and repaired to a small hotel in the countryside - Krone Regensburg. We were shattered, having not eaten anything solid for two days. We asked the staff if we might have something simple and nourishing, and they served us a rich chicken broth (no meat) with the most finely diced carrots and celery I’ve ever seen. We spent two days watching episodes of The Crown in bed as we inched back to life.

I think of this soup every time I’m feeling sick. Basically you’re making a rich chicken stock and then adding back in some tender meat and a little bit of veg - something easy but good to have on your roster.

Nestle a whole chicken into a large, heavy-bottomed pot (Le Creuset Dutch Oven is ideal) and add lazily chopped carrots, celery, and onions, several smashed cloves of garlic, a few bay leaves, and a handful of whole black peppercorns. (Also lovely and totally acceptable: ginger, leeks, shallots, scallion.) This will all be strained out at the end.

Fill the pot with water to cover the chicken and bring to a gentle, languid simmer. As the foamy “scum” (terrible name) collects on the top, gently remove it with a spoon.

Cover and cook for 1 hour, then turn off the flame and let the chicken continue to poach in the liquid for another 20-30 minutes before removing it to a large bowl to cool. While it cools, place the stock back on the flame and return it to a gentle simmer.

Pick the meat from the bones, discarding the skin. Return the bare bones to the simmering stock, and increase the heat to a punchier simmer, just shy of a full-blown boil. Let the bones and all the bits simmer for at least another hour or more. The longer you go, the more concentrated your flavors will become. This step really determines the final outcome - I always get impatient and bring it up to a boil to expedite the process. Reduce the soup until it is heady and shouting with flavor.

When the stock is well reduced and grips the tongue, you can strain it. I use this large strainer set over another, slightly smaller pot. Return the strained liquid to the heat and season with salt. I save this for the end since all the reducing can concentreate the seasoning and I find it hard to nail it at the beginning. Return it quickly to a boil and add the most beautifully diced carrots and celery you can muster - the smaller the better - and then turn off the flame. The veg will poach in the hot liquid.

To serve, add in the most tender of the chicken (save the breast meat for dicing and tossing into a salad, or making a sandwich) and reheat it in the broth.

Top with lemon zest and a pour of your best olive oil.