Antarctica (and Delicious Chicken Soup)

(Annelien trying out new hats at the Bijenkorf.)

“My grandmother loved leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” (Jewish joke)

We live in Antarctica now. And no, we didn’t move again. Antarctica just moved here. Yesterday, the first cold snap hit Amsterdam. I rode my bike home from work and by the time I got to the Banstraat I couldn’t feel my hands anymore. I am starting to understand why smoking pot is allowed in Amsterdam. You need something that helps you through the winter. In my case, that is soup.

(I didn't Photoshop this picture. It's sunny but cold!)

I like to think of my grandmother Judith when I make soup. She lived through two World Wars and kept the cheekiness and the legs of a young girl. A magnificent role model. She walked through life with a twinkle in her eyes, pouring “dreupels” (strong liquor in a small glass that you down at once) for the many guests she and my grandfather Jérôme entertained at their house. When I make chicken soup, I think of her. Just like she did, I love leftovers. On NPR or France Inter they would probably say this is trans-generational war-time frugality. In my Friday night dishes, every cheese, fruit and vegetable is welcome as long as it didn’t grow hair or legs while we weren’t looking. Annelien doesn’t always appreciate my creations. Sometimes, she finds what she believes to be the original meal and throws it out, much to my chagrin.

(You can buy local and sustainable - and delicious! - produce at the Farmer's Market in Oud-Zuid on the corner of Johannes Verhulststraat and Jacob Obrechtstraat.) 

Here is a recipe for delicious Jewish chicken soup for cold fall and winter evenings. You can add basic ingredients you find in your fridge like carrots, ginger root or celery. You don’t have to follow the recipe religiously. The most important thing is that you use good basic ingredients. Seasonal and organically grown or raised ingredients will taste much better – even if they are beyond their expiration date. Of course, don’t take any chances on the meat though. You may want to play it safe when it comes to the chicken legs. They usually don’t get any better when they spend too more time in the fridge.

Here’s the recipe!

(A modest member of my tiny windowsill herb garden.)

Super Easy and Incredibly Delicious Jewish Chicken Soup

Hey grandma! Whether you are in heaven or already in a next life, this soup is for you!

Annelien doesn’t think very highly of my war-time housekeeping habits but she thinks this is the best soup ever. And that’s quite a compliment from such a demanding connoisseur!

This very basic but delicious recipe serves about 6 people and takes 20 to 30 minutes to prepare. Overall though, you should let the soup simmer for 2 hours for the best results. I recommend using a large cast iron pot (a “Dutch oven”) instead of a steel pot. I believe it really makes a difference. If you like more precise instructions than my quick and dirty instructions below, you will find an excellent recipe here.

You will need:

2 carrots, sliced

4 chicken legs

1 large yellow onion, quartered

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 celery ribs, sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and quartered

Fresh black pepper and plenty of coarsely ground kosher salt

Here’s how you prepare the soup:

Bring 1 liter (or 4 coups) of water to a boil. When the water boils, add the chicken legs. Let them boil in the water for about 15 minutes. Regularly open the pot to scoop out the foam that will form on the surface. Once that’s done, add all the other ingredients and let simmer for 2 hours. After two hours, add pepper and salt. You can also add ginger, dill, turmeric, flat parsley or cilantro.

End Note:

        

Reportedly, half of the food prepared in the US and Europe never gets eaten. You can read more about the Don't Waste Food movement here.