It's winter and even in sunny Los Angeles, it gets cold. We don't experience arctic cold fronts, but the shorter days and Mother Earth's tilt towards the Sun can make for chilly temps when late afternoon approaches and, finally five-o'clock darkness. Even in SoCal, we love our soup!
Chicken-vegetable soup is practically a staple for most Americans. There are many versions hailing from the diversity of cultures in our neighborhoods. I'll bet there is a chicken soup recipe unique to almost every ethnic group living here. The recipe I'm sharing is good-old American with roots in Jewish cooking. It makes a hearty pot that warms not only the body, but the soul. (Did I borrow that notion from someone?!)
CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP
1 chicken, quartered
4 cups chicken stock
2 to 4 cups water
1/2 cup split peas, soaked in water 30 minutes and drained
1/2 cup pearl barley, soaked in water 30 minutes and drained
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds
3 stalks celery, sliced
6 cremini mushrooms, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh dill
Place the chicken and the liquids into a large stock pot on the stove. Turn the heat to medium high and cook until it comes to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface. Add the peas, barley and vegetables. Bring back to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove chicken from soup. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and return to the soup. (You may want to add only white breast meat or you may also want to add the dark meats. It's up to you! Whatever you don't use, save for chicken salad, for instance.) Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chopped dill.
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