alexist

Went out shopping and got the stuff for chicken soup and kugel. I was going to be economical and serve the boiled chicken from the soup as the main course, but decided to be extravagant and got a roasting chicken too. Leftover roast chicken never lasts by us, so it's not a waste.

Oh, and Neil has been converted to Jewish food. ;) Mostly. He thinks gefilte fish is disgusting (so does everyone who didn't grow up on it) and he won't touch stuffed cabbage (because it has cabbage in it). But he's very fond of the meat and stodge we Ashkenazim serve up.
Especially since my family is Polish and has a liberal hand with the sugar. As he says, "Kugelicious."

Argh! I am sick of British cookery books telling you to make stock/soup from cooked chicken carcasses. It makes LOUSY soup, all the flavor's been cooked out of the chicken. At a pinch you can make it from raw carcasses, but that's best as a cooking ingredient. The real deal is made from a fowl or boiler. And there's no cream in it. Just pure, delicious chicken soup.

I claim the right to tell the English how to make soup. It's in my blood. I will grant Jewish readers have the right to their own opinions, but every Jewish cook knows the truth: their version is the best one.

For the benefit of the British, I present the recipe for Real Chicken Soup:

1 boiler, quartered, with neck and gizzard (you want the oldest, stringiest bird you can find, no wimpy super]market broilers)
1 onion, quartered, skin on
6 carrots, peeled
1 rib celery
1 parsley root, peeled (or a chunk of celeriac)
2 large handfuls flat leaf parsley
1 large handful dill
Salt

(some people use swede, parsnip, etc - I shun the use of starchy vegetables in my soup)

Put the chicken, parsley root, onion, 1 carrot, and celery in a large stock pot. Add water to cover and a handful of coarse salt and bring to a boil. Skim the brown scum from the top. Keep boiling and skimming until only white foam is left. Turn the heat down, add the other carrots, partly cover, and simmer 45 minutes. Add the herbs. Simmer at least 45 mins more, uncover halfway through, then strain. Salt to taste.

For Ultimate Chicken Soup:

Simmer raw carcasses (ask your butcher) and 1 batch of soup veg (1 carrot only) for 1 hour, as above. Remove everything. Add the boiler and a fresh batch of veg, and complete the recipe.

For knaidlach (soup dumplings):

(I like mine firm. Forget all other Jewish sectarian wars: the real one is Floaters vs Sinkers.)

3/4 cup matzo meal
3 Tb chicken fat, melted
3 eggs
3 Tb hot soup
2 pinches salt

Mix all ingredients. Chill 1/2 hour. Shape into small balls and drop into boiling water (they will expand) Cook 20 mins or till cooked through. Heat through in soup before eating.

If you're cooking knaidlach for a crowd, double/triple/quadruple the recipe as your appetites demand. If I'm coming, make a whole batch just for me. :)

I'm SURE they've skipped "Black and Blue" - I'd remember seeing that episode. Sunday's was "See No Evil". Meh.

I have all this food, and no appetite. One bowl of soup and I'm full. And meantime there's a whole pan of kugel and a roast chicken... And more soup left over.

I bet i go to sleep, then wake up in 2 hours ravenously hungry.