From“Soup Beautiful Soup” by Ursel Norman with illustrations by Derek Norman
Published by William Morrow & Company in New York in 1978
1 1/2 pounds soup beef with bone or one 2-3 pound chicken
5 cups cold water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 parsley sprigs
1 bayleaf
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
4 tbsp. alphabet noodles, cooked
finely chopped parsley for garnish
Serves 4
1
Place the soup beef (or chicken) in a large saucepan. Add the cold water, salt, pepper, celery, carrot, onion, parsley sprig, bayleaf and marjoram. Bring to a boil and skim if necessary. Simmer the soup, partially covered, 2 hours for beef, 1 hour for chicken. Remove meat or chicken.
2
Strain the soup through a finemesh strainer. Discard all the vegetables. Return broth to pot.
3
Cut any lean meat off the soup beef, discarding any bone or fat. If a chicken is used, remove 1 chicken breast, skin and bone it and cut into tiny shreds. Reserve.
4
Put the meat shreds into the broth in the pot. Also add the cooked noodles and the chopped parsley. Cover and leave to stand 2 minutes before serving.
Note
This soup can be made ahead a day or two, up to stage 3. If it is to be frozen, put the meat shreds into the broth. Complete stage 4 after defrosting.
For an absolutely clear broth, leave the soup to go cold after stage 3. Whisk two eggwhites just to break them up a little, and pour them into the soup. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Do not stir! Strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a damp cloth.
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