Jewish penicillin, or more humbly known as chicken soup. A made from scratch soup recipe, which will give you a hug from the inside when feeling worse for wear.
You may want to take a look up at the original posting date of this article, it will be a decade old this year. Keep reading below for the original article, terrible photos, but sans horrid spelling mistakes. Oh how my writing voice has changed!
I am sort of laughing to myself as I write this post, reason being is that there has been a bit of a ruckus caused in the blogger community lately by a person stereotyping food bloggers.
Well, a few months back I was trying to work out how to approach a girlfriend of mine to see if she had a chicken soup recipe. You see, Nic is Jewish.
I was worried that when I asked her if she had a rocking chicken soup recipe I could try, and blog about, she would tell me that not every one of the Jewish faith have a chicken soup recipe. That I watch too much television, I should wake up to myself, and not stereotype the Jewish community.
We all have heard that Jewish Chicken Soup is the ultimate chicken soup. It cures all ills and is called Jewish penicillin. With winter here what better time to cook a batch up. Especially as every second person around me seems to be sick!
Luckily for me she was more than willing to share her chicken soup recipe with me, only one problem, it was all in her head.
Nic told me she would need to sit down and drag it out of her memory banks to give to me. The fact that it was all in her head made me even more excited about getting my hands on it, this is a recipe that you obviously learn in your mother’s/grandmother’s kitchen.
I am delighted to share this awesome chicken soup recipe with you. I have actually put Nic’s comments in italics throughout the recipe, because as she puts it
“it’s the little tips that make it Jewish’“
I used one whole chicken, as I happened to have one and then some extra wings and legs. Nic suggests,
“You can use wings or legs, although these do tend to fall apart, but then you can pour the soup into a sieve – if you want chicken pieces to eat, use thighs – keep them whole so you can take them out if you strain the other bits and cut them up later!”
I cut my celery and carrot up into large bite size pieces to be retained to add back into the soup after straining. If you don’t wish to do this you can put them in whole and discard. I suggest you use them in the soup.
I actually cut the onion in half and shoved a toothpick through it to hold it together for a bit more flavour and then removed from the soup before serving. Nic suggests,
”Do not leave this in the soup to eat later. Take the outer layer of the skin off, but leave the bulb intact carefully slice the roots off, otherwise, it will fall apart in the soup”.
I didn’t use giblets as my local chicken shop didn’t have them, but next time I make the soup I will give them a go.
”If you’re really game, you can use giblets – about ½kg (make sure you wash them and use a small knife to thoroughly clean them – any green area or grit).”
“Don’t tell me what they are, I’m not interested in knowing – I love them, but have avoided all these years really delving into the finer points of what part of a chicken they are) and that’s all I’ll say on this point”.
I used a couple of heaped tablespoons of Massel chicken stock as we don’t have a Kosher section at our local supermarket and didn’t want to travel to the Eastern Suburbs where they are far more diverse
“Osem Chicken Soup Mix (in kosher sections of Franklins or Coles) or alternatively, Massel Stock Cubes (chicken of course!). This is purely for the salt factor/taste – us Jews love our salt (and smultz {chicken fat}, but that’s another story)”.
“Put everything into a large pot/pressure cooker and add lots of water (do not brown the chicken – it will change the taste of the soup)”.
“Boil the shit out of everything (or under pressure – about half an hour), or longer if you are just putting on the stove”.
Once the soup had been cooking for a couple of hours (I used the stovetop), I picked the chicken pieces out of it and put to the side. Then strained.
I returned the carrots and celery to the soup and set it all to the side off the heat while I removed all the chicken meat from the bones.
The fat was then skimmed from the soup before adding some of the chicken back into the Jewish penicillin. I wasn’t as particular as normal about removing every tiny bit of fat and did leave some due to Nic’s comment about smultz.
I ended up with far more chicken than was needed, which was great as it was used for sandwiches and other things.
“Skim the surface of fat when done, a lot of people cool down and put in the fridge overnight so the fat on the surface hardens, much easier to remove”.
“When the soup is ready to serve, my grandmother, mum and I, put heated (frozen) peas and lochen (pronounced Lock Shen – Yiddish word for noodles. Angel hair pasta is great, make sure you snap into little pieces before boiling (do not boil in the soup, but in a separate saucepan)”.
I didn’t read the recipe properly and just added the peas straight from the freezer to warm up in the soup which I had now returned to heat. I added the dry pasta straight to the soup to cook as well, I missed the bit about using a separate pot. It worked fine and I just simmered very gently until the pasta was cooked through and served.
“If the taste is a little watery – just keep adding stock cubes and salt!!!!! Serve”.
“It’s obviously a lot easier than my theatrics, but I suppose it’s the little tips that make it Jewish”.
Thanks Nic for sharing Jewish penicillin, aka Jewish chicken soup recipe with me and allowing me to share it with my readers.
The soup is just delicious. I love the flavour that is absorbed by the vegetables cooking away in it, it just adds that something extra to the final soup.
Sara xxx
More Soup Recipes
Clam Chowder – creamy and comforting
White Onion Veloute – with crisp confit garlic & prosciutto crumb
Spicy Celeriac Apple Soup – another winter warmer
Mushroom Zoodle Soup – a waistline winner
PIN ME TO EAT ME LATER
Chicken Soup (Jewish Penicillin)
Ingredients
- 1.5 kgs chicken pieces with lots of flavour
- 4 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 large onion peeled whole
- ½ Kg giblets optional
- Osem chicken soup mix or massel chicken stock
- Angel hair pasta
- frozen peas
Instructions
- Place all ingredients, except pasta and peas, in a large pot which has a lid.
- Fill pot with cold water until the chicken is just covered.
- Place lid on the pot and bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from the pot. Strain liquid into a clean pot
- When cool enough to handle remove skin and bones from the chicken meat. Chop carrots and celery.
- Place chicken and vegetables into the reserved liquid.
- Bring pot back up to a simmer and add pasta and peas.
- Once the pasta has cooked the soup is ready to serve.
Tony
Absolutely perfect soup! My girlfriend’s family on her fathers side is Jewish. She me about Lokshen soup and that, as a child, she remembers how she loved her nan’s and how sad she was that her nan died without passing the recipe on. I decided I’d give it a go – and this, apparently, tastes EXACTLY the same!! Amazing. Thank you to your friend for sharing.
Sara McCleary
Hi Tony, I’m so glad that your girlfriend loved the soup and that it gave her a taste trip down memory lane. I’m glad that Nic shared it with me to. It is my go to soup still today, a decade after I originaly wrote this post and shared the recipe!
Tony
And mine! In fact, I made some Monday which I took to a close friend, who is having to self isolated after displaying Covid-19 symptoms last week. I’m waiting to see how quickly he recovers….how amazing would that be? This could be the soup that saves the world!
Ok, unlikely, but what an nice idea. You and you’re loved ones stay safe. Thanks again.
Sara McCleary
That would be totally amazing. The soup that saved the world!! LOL
Helen burdett
It amazes me to see these chicken soup recipes, without one of the main ingredients. I learned how to make chicken soup from my mother who was born in Poland, and I’m 82 years old. So I’ve been cooking chicken soup ftom a young woman. The one very important ingedianr missing is ‘pietrischka’ we used to grow it in this country but don’t any more, but the farmers in America and France grow it do it’s very difficult to find it now. You can substitute it with a parsnip cut into small chunks, and a large bunch of flat parsley washed and folded over and tied with white cotton. This is the way you get the true flavour of Jewish chicken soup. I put celery and not too many carrots (because it gets too sweet if too many are added) one large onion. Whole, and squeezed out at the end. And thrown away 2/3 hours cooking. Obviously skim the rubbish at the beginning. Not too much water. Just covering the chicken. Plus only kosher boiling fowl to be used. Great soup guaranteed.
Sara
Hi Helen
Thanks for dropping in. I have never heard of pietrischka before, and when I googled it had no results that releated to a vegetable or food item. It is something I have never heard of in Australia before.
I often add parsnip to my soup when making it. Even though the flavour notes of parsnip are very similar to carrot, they aren’t as sweet (as you mentioned) and add another flavour dimention. My father was born in Latvia, and I think that is something I picked up from my grandmother.
This soup recipe is from a dear friend of mine, shared with me 10 years ago when I first published this recipe. It is simple and the result is rather tasty.
Saying that I will be giving your method with suggested ingredients a go next time I make chicken soup. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with me and my readers.
Cheers Sara
Sara @ Belly Rumbles
Hi Forager, I laughed myself silly when Nic sent me the recipe.
Sara @ Belly Rumbles
Suze, hehe, yup that is what you do.
Hi Gummi baby, I am going to have to question Nic on that one lol
Hi Trissa, is just what is needed on those cold wet nights
Hi angieNot going to make comment about curing all illness yet…… but knock on wood
Hi MD, I went to Sylvania, err was being lazy and didn't want to face the Miranda crowds on a Saturday morning. Will go up there next time and check it out. Nice to see some diversity in Chastwood, but you know The Shire……
Forager @ The Gourmet Forager
Loving the straight-talking Jewish commentary 🙂 Honestly – looks like the perfect comfort food, stuff your kids remember as that soup mum makes when I'm sick..
mademoiselle délicieuse
The best recipes are those that evolve through generations of families, especially when it's something as comforting as this.
If I don't remember wrong, the chicken kiosk up at The Fair (always deserving of capitals =p) regularly has giblets as well as hearts and livers. And can you believe there's a Kosher section at one of the Coles in Chatswood (yes, there's 2 here…) – an area which is stereotypically 'Asian'.
Angie Lives to Eat (and Cook)!
lol "boil the shit out of everything" =D So do you think it worked keeping all the bugs astray? =p
Trissa
Well, I have to say I really admire the fact that you managed to get this recipe – only because you mentioned that it wasn't written down anywhere before you got it. I also admire your patience for sharing the tips with us – it's perfect not only for curing illness but I must say for this kind of weather.
Gummi Baby
Where are the matzo balls? He he! I love a good chicken soup and this looks terrific!
chocolatesuze
boil the shit out of it BWAHAHAHA gold!
Sara @ Belly Rumbles
Hi Ellie, it is just such a comforting soup during the cold winter months and if I had the flu I really would be craving some.
He he Nic!! Thanks for sharing and I am so glad you are chuffed, is a rocking recipe.
Anonymous
I'm so chuffed Sara, thanks for sharing this recipe – I'm glad you kept in the phrase "boil the shit out of…" Love Nic
Ellie (Almost Bourdain)
Chicken soup for the soul. This looks like it!