WHOLE CHICKEN SOUP

Parts of the recipe from this nytimes recipe. 

It's best to start this the day prior to serving it. 

Ingredients:

For the broth:

1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs, broken down into pieces

2 carrots, cut into chunks

1 large yellow onion, cut into quarters

3 celery stalks, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1" ginger, peeled and smashed

12 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs thyme

8 peppercorns

1 star anise

2 bay leaves

For the soup:

1 large carrot, cut into small dice

1/2 celeriac, cut into small dice

1 yukon gold potato, cut into small dice

Chicken from the whole chicken, chopped

Dill, finely chopped

Chives, finely chopped

Methodology:

Place all the broth ingredients in a large pot and cover by 1" with water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to gently simmer for 1.5-2 hours. 

Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the pot and cool on a baking sheet.  Using two forks, tease the chicken meat from the skin and bones.  Place the meat in the refrigerator.  Return the bones and skin to the pot and continue to simmer, reducing, for another half hour.  Strain the broth and cool, then refrigerate it.  Discard the solids.

---- The next day ----

Skim the chicken fat from the top of the chilled broth and store for another use.

Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring to a simmer.  Add the carrot, celeriac and potato, and simmer until they're cooked, about 15 minutes.  Add as much chopped chicken as you want (I don't usually use all the meat) and heat until warm. 

Serve over spaezle, sprinkled with dill, chives and freshly ground black pepper.