Chicken Soup
With a Saucepan Over the Sea, published in 1902, includes a recipe for this most famous of soups. The recipe here notes that it is “as made in Nice,” referring to the city in France. This hearty chicken soup is packed with flavor and nutrients. It features a rich broth, tender vegetables, and a touch of ham for extra savory flavor. The addition of rice provides a comforting texture and adds to the overall nutritional value. It's a perfect dish to warm you up on a cold day, or to soothe you when you’re not at your best. As it’s written, this recipe can be a bit confusing; it calls for the ingredients to essentially be prepared separately, then mixed together, already cooked. Alternatively, you can cook everything together (except for the rice) and skim the mixture as it boils, for about an hour. In that case, you would add the rice and remove the ham at the end. Whatever method you use, this is a comforting classic, and there have been many versions of this soup found in many cookbooks and homes. The traditional version typically features a clear broth with tender chicken pieces and vegetables, but which particular vegetables can vary greatly. Common additions also include pasta, noodles, dumplings, rice, or barley.
- 1 ounce ham
- 1 ½ quarts chicken broth
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 12 small white onions
- 1 cup turnips, diced
- 2 tbsp. cabbage, shredded
- 1 lb. chicken
- 2 tbsp. rice
Cook 1 ounce of ham with 1 ½ quarts of chicken broth for ¾ hour. Add 1 cup of young carrots cut into dice, 1 dozen small white onions, and 1 cup of turnips, cut into dice, all cooked previously, also two tablespoonfuls of cooked shredded cabbage, the meat from breast and wings cut into dice, and 2 tablespoonfuls of boiled rice. Strain the soup before adding the vegetables and chicken, season it, and serve.