Homemade Chicken and Vegetable Soup

 

The key to making any great soup is the flavour of the stock, and leftover turkey and chicken carcasses make an extraordinary rich and delicious poultry broth. It's quite easy too since all that's required is water, a few vegetables and a bouquet-garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Normally, after roasting a lovely plump chicken, we would save any leftovers, but with freezer space being a precious commodity these days, we discovered an easier way of making this prized golden elixir: Carnicero's at the St Lawrence Market. At just $2 a bag for 5 whole chicken carcasses, homemade chicken stock can be made anytime at all. 

Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Serves 10-12

Chicken Stock:

5 chicken carcasses

3 bay leaves

2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks with fronds, coarsely chopped

2 yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 parsley sprigs

3 thyme sprigs

Chicken Soup:

3 leeks, finely sliced

2 tbsp vegetable oil

6 carrots, finely diced

4 celery stalks, finely sliced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 large chicken, roasted and shredded into bitesize pieces, about 4 cups 

To make the stock, chop up the chicken carcasses to fit in a large stock pot. Add the bouquet-garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves, carrot, celery with fronds and 2 onions. Add enough water to cover the carcasses by an inch or two, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down enough so it maintains a bubbling simmer, partially cover and let it bubble away for 3 to 4 hours, replenishing with additional water if the level gets too low.

Remove the carcasses and vegetables from the stock pot using a strainer, and discard. Meanwhile, keep the strained turkey stock at a gentle simmer in the stock pot until needed, or cool and freeze for future use. 

In a skillet, sauté the leeks and celery with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until soft, about 6 minutes. Add to the warm stock, then add the parsley and carrots. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Finally, add the peas, corn and roast chicken, and cook until they're heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The soup can be bagged and frozen for future use, or served hot, ladled into warmed bowls with a sprinkle of parsley and some lovely warm bread with a lump of good cheese.