Vanessa and I have returned to sunny Dahlgren and she brought her stupid cold with her. So I figured it was time to step up. This soup is guaranteed to make people feel better. It's like an elixir of sorts. No one knows (well, someone does - probably a doctor or something) why chicken soup is so great for colds. Maybe it's a simple a matter as having something that warms the soul.
3 carrots, peeled and cut in half
4 stalks celery, washed and cut in half
1 rutabega, washed and sliced in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
1 pinch ancho chile powder, plus more to taste
1 pinch cumin, plus more to taste
2 sprig bay leaf
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pound chicken, quartered, with bones intact, including necks and giblets
½ cup small shell pasta, optional
extra-virgin olive oil, optional
coarse sea salt
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the vegetables, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, ancho chile powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Let these vegetables soften for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
Place 1 gallon water and the chicken in a stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently, skimming regularly, until the broth is fragrant, for about 30 minutes. Take the carcass out and discard. Shred the chicken into small bite-sized shreds. While you are shredding the chicken, bring a pot of salted water to the boil (for the pasta), reduce the soup stock to low and put the reserved vegetables back in.
Add the shredded chicken back to the soup. Keep the heat low. When the pasta water is boiling. add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and add to the pot. Add the parsley and stir through. Check the seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve.
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