CHICKEN SOUP (AUNT MARY'S PENICILLIN)

Chicken Soup (Aunt Mary's Penicillin) image

Mary Stacey shared this chicken soup recipe with The Times in 1990. The then 76-year-old aunt of Curtis Sliwa, of the Guardian Angels, made it regularly in her Howard Beach home, carrying the soup to Mr. Sliwa as he patrolled the subways. Mrs. Stacey believed that the magic of chicken soup is unleashed only when the carrots and onions are mashed into the broth. Strained, it makes an excellent broth for a myriad of soups. The strained broth can be frozen in small containers for future soups or in ice-cube trays to use in sauces.

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories dinner, lunch, soups and stews, main course, side dish

Time 3h45m

Yield Three quarts

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
2 chicken feet or 4 chicken wings or 1 turkey wing
1 clove of garlic, bruised
1 medium onion, peeled
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 bunch parsley, tied
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 quarts cold water

Steps:

In a large pot, place four quarts cold water. Add the chicken, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for three hours, using a spoon to skim the soup as thoroughly as possible. Cool. (The soup can be strained at this point, to use as chicken broth. Mrs. Stacey proceeds with the next two steps.)
Strain the soup. Discard the onion, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorn, and save the other vegetables. Skin and debone the chicken and save the meat. Return the chicken meat, carrots, celery and garlic clove to the pot and bring back to a simmer, seasoning with additional salt or pepper to taste.
Serve the soup in big bowls, over pastina, rice or very thin spaghettini. The soup's curative powers are released only when the vegetables are mashed together in the bowl. Use a fork for mashing. Use a big spoon for eating.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 50, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 0 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 77 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams