Chicken and Rice Soup. Photo by Felicia Orth

By FELICIA ORTH
Los Alamos

I make a lot of soup throughout the year, including gazpacho, minestrone, Hungarian mushroom, curried squash, and chile/chili stew, but this is my favorite. The recipe originally came from the Silver Palate “Good Times” cookbook, a strong early influence full of joyful entertaining tips and recipes organized by holiday and season. I’ve adapted it in several respects to reduce the fat and increase the veggies, among other things.

When I tell friends that it is a miraculously healing soup, I am only half-kidding: chicken soup has been found in studies to reduce inflammation in the body (your mom was so right on this and other topics), and the stories my friends have shared after receiving a pot provide further support.

For my Paleo friends who tout the benefits of “bone broth,” I’ll acknowledge that I do not roast the chicken bones before I make the stock, and the pot simmers for just 4 hours, not 24; I am not yet convinced of the special benefits of extra collagen in the bowl. And I got a refrigerator magnet over the holidays just for you: “Paleo diet? Isn’t that what killed the dinosaurs?”

Full disclosure: this soup is a labor of love, best prepared over two days so that the stock can be made on one day and the soup on the next day. Because it requires so much time to prepare (much of it passive), I always make it in large quantities to share, three chickens at a time, with everything else that means.

The single-chicken recipe is below; double or triple it for large crowds or to share with sick or injured friends. You will also need a lot of fresh dill and two vegetables you may not often use:  leeks and parsnips (pictures below). Pull out your biggest stock pot for this one. Family and friends will be able to taste the loving care you have put into this nourishing soup.

Chicken and Rice Soup

The Stock

1 chicken (4-5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and cut into quarters
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 large yellow onion, quartered (I leave the onion skins on for color)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces
4 stalks celery with leafy tops, cut into large pieces
1 bunch fresh dill
Freshly ground pepper

Place the chicken, water and salt in a large stock pot, cover, and heat to boiling. Uncover, and skim the scum from the top of the water with a large slotted spoon. (This step does make a difference in the final product.) Add the vegetables and the dill, cover and simmer over low heat for at least two hours. At this point the chicken meat should be falling off the bones.

Strain the stock through a sieve or colander into another large pot, and sort the solids: the vegetables are discarded, and the chicken meat is separated from the bones and skin into bite-sized pieces for the soup. (Refrigerate the chicken meat until you are ready to add it to the soup.) At this point you can chill the stock overnight so that the remaining stray bits rise to form a waxy top layer that can be easily removed the next day. You can also freeze the stock for subsequent use. Or, proceed directly to making the soup.

Leeks. Photo by Felicia Orth

The Soup

4 medium-sized or 3 large-sized leeks, white part only
8 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup (1 stick) butter
3 parsnips, peeled and sliced or chopped small
4 carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped small
5 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced or chopped small
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 quarts chicken stock
2 cups white wine
The shredded meat of a whole chicken
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 cups cooked rice or noodles (I use whole grain black rice)
10 ounces French-cut green beans (I use frozen)
1 bunch fresh dill, stemmed and chopped small
1 bunch fresh parsley, stemmed and chopped small

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and soak in the water and vinegar for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and cut into a fine dice. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the parsnips, carrots, celery, leeks, salt, pepper and turmeric, and cook gently until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. (The veggies will not soften appreciably when the stock is added, so this step is important.) Add the stock, wine, mushrooms and green beans, and simmer for fifteen minutes. Finally, add the shredded chicken, dill and parsley, and stir well before serving. Cornbread is an excellent accompaniment.