Chicken Corn Soup
Hearty but not heavy, as golden in flavor as it is in color, this must be one of the world’s great soups. It is, at heart, simply a well-made chicken noodle soup, and the double-strength broth identifies it as farm food. Yet the aroma of saffron makes the soup seem a bit exotic, recalling the flavors of the Meditteranean and the Near East. In fact, many Pennsyvlania German farmwomen used to grow saffron crocuses in their own herb gardens, making their cooking frugal as well as luxurious.
Notes
• M & J Greider Farms in Lancaster County, PA, produces saffron that beat out imported varieties in a taste test conducted by Cook's Illustrated magazine in 2001. Greider's saffron is available by mail-order from the PA General Store.
• Free range chickens cost more at the market, but they have more flavor, they weren't fed growth hormones and prophylactic antibiotics, and they had access to fresh air and sunlight. Better for you, the chicken, the environment, everybody. Your best bet is to find a local farmer who will sell to you directly, but many upscale and specialty grocery stores and co-ops also sell free range poultry.
Nowadays even the descendants of those farmwomen have to buy the herb,
but although it is literally worth its weight in gold, a pinch goes a
long way. The amount of saffron called for in this recipe will cost no
more than a dollar or two, not so much to feed six people. Be sure to
buy the whole threads, which are more expensive than powdered saffron
but far more potent.
I find it easiest to make this over two
days. Make the stock on the first day, strain it, and store it in the
refrigerator overnight. The stock will gel as it cools, and you can easily
skim the congealed fat off the top before proceeding. Finishing the soup
the next day will take only an hour or so.
Serves 6 as a generous main course.
INGREDIENTS
for the stock:
2 lbs. chicken thighs, legs, and/or wings
(preferably free-range)
3 quarts water
3 stalks celery, leaves included
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
for the soup:
a 3- to 4-lb. chicken (preferably free-range),
cut up
3 stalks celery
1 small bunch parsley
1/2 lb. egg noodles
4 large ears corn, or 1 10-oz. bag frozen
corn
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
or to taste
a generous pinch of saffron threads
EQUIPMENT
a large stockpot (6- to 8-quart)
a large piece of cheesecloth, an old teatowel,
or a fine mesh strainer
MAKING THE STOCK
1. Rinse the chicken thighs, legs, and/or wings under cold water to remove traces of blood. Place the chicken in the stockpot and cover with roughly 3 quarts of cold water.
2. Place the stockpot on the stove over medium-low heat, and bring to a simmer, very slowly. As the water nears a simmer, skim off the foam and scum that rises to the surface. When the water reaches a simmer and the scum is no longer rising, partially cover the pot. (To extract as much flavor as possible from the chicken and to prevent impurities from dissolving into the liquid, you should not allow the stock to boil rapidly. You should see small bubbles rising slowly from the bottom of the pot. But if it does boil, don’t panic—just lower the heat and keep going.)
3. Cut the 3 stalks of celery into 2- to 3-inch pieces and add these to the pot. Let simmer for three to four hours, checking the pot occasionally to make sure it doesn’t boil too hard.
4. (optional) If you are using legs or thighs, I recommend that you remove them after they have simmered for an hour or so, cut most of the meat off the bones, and return the bones to the pot. Save the cooked meat for another use, or add it back to the soup with the rest of the chicken (step 9, below).
5. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the chicken and celery from the pot.
FINISHING THE SOUP
6. Add the cut-up chicken to the stock and return to a simmer. Let simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes.
7. Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a plate to cool. Strain the soup by pouring it through a large piece of cheesecloth, a fine mesh strainer, or even an old teatowel. (I use flour-sack towels for straining stock, which are a good thickness, are quite inexpensive, and can be reused indefinitely if they are washed in hot soapy water after each use.) Return the broth to the pot.
8. Dice the celery and chop the parsley finely (you should have about N cup. If you are using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cobs. Remove the chicken from the bones; chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones and skin.
9. Add the celery and parsley to the broth along with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat; then add the saffon, corn, and noodles. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are barely cooked. Add the chicken and cook for a minute or so to heat it through.
10. Correct the seasonings and serve immediately. (Although the leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator overnight and reheated the next day, the soup is best before the noodles get overcooked.)
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