COMFORT ESSENTIALS: EASY/PEASY CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• This is a brilliant soup, but one of the things I love about it is that it fills the air with an intoxicating aroma. My gardener and housekeeper's daughter were out-and-about, and when they came into the kitchen, they both went, WOW, what is that amazing smell. I do not care how down-in-the-dumps you might be, a couple of sniffs of this soup will totally lift your spirits... Of course, actually eating it is not too bad either :-)
• You will need a medium sized soup pot with a lid, to make this recipe. A good Dutch oven comes to mind; however, use use whatever is handy.
• The Base In making the base, we are creating our very own chicken stock. I usually add a bit of chicken stock to the water, just to give the flavors a head start. The Chicken I am using one half of a spatchcocked chicken to make this soup; however, you can use whatever parts are available: (Thighs, Legs, Breasts, etc.). Parts are parts. The Veggies The veggies can be any combination you choose; for example, the most common would be a French mirepoix of onions, carrots, and celery. I threw in a fennel bulb and smashed garlic to give the base more depth of flavor. However, fennel is not something most folks have hanging about their kitchen, and during these times we are experiencing, I want to give you recipes that you can create without necessarily making additional trips to the grocer. So, if you do not have a fennel bulb lying about, you could always drop in a bit of fennel seed... if you have some anise seeds or licorice root, that will work too. Or just leave it out. As to the dried dill, and parsley, you can substitute fresh, if you have some. Just double the amount.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• THE BASE
• Chop up the veggies. You do not have to be fancy; these veggies are used to create the flavor for the base and will be discarded before we make the soup.
• Add the veggie to the pot, place the chicken on top, and fill with water to about 1-inch (2.5cm) above the chicken.
• Bring up to a simmer, skimming off the foam, and continue to simmer, until the chicken is cooked through, about an hour.
• Remove the chicken, allow it to cool, then strip the meat from the bones. Reserve the chicken, return the bones to the pot, and simmer, covered, for about an additional hour.
• Use a strainer to separate the solids from the stock. Then discard the solids and return the stock to the pot.
• THE SOUP
• Add the soup veggies to the base and simmer until they begin to soften, about 20 - 30 minutes
• Add the reserved chicken and simmer until warmed through, about an additional 10 - 15 minutes.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Serve while nice and warm with some crusty bread, soup crackers, or whatever you choose. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith and keep cooking.