Korean Chicken Soup

Manami's Note:

Food & Wine Magazine, December 2008 edition - Perfecting Chicken Soup, recipe by Grace Parisi. It is a deeply flavorful broth and we enjoyed it ever so much :) and have even put it on the menu at our Cafe Ponce. We serve this with a salad, homemade bread or some sort of biscuits (I know) but the residents' like biscuits and we use different recipes to see which they prefer. We also had to make a few changes with the soup but that is when we are making it for the whole home, as we have chicken soup twice a day! When we make it for the Cafe - it is the real thing. It also works on colds like Jewish Penicillin ;)

• Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3 lbs chicken , neck reserved
• 3 ½ quarts water
• 1 medium unpeeled onion , quartered
• 2 carrots , scrubbed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs , cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large unpeeled garlic clove , smashed
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• 3 ½ quarts water
• 1 large fresh bay leaf
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• kosher salt
• 8 ounces thick udon noodles
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ lb shiitake mushroom , thinly sliced
• ¼ cup finely julienne peeled ginger
• 12 ounces block firm silken tofu , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup kimchee cabbage , thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, combine the chicken and neck with the water, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley springs and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil.
2. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate; discard the skin.
4. Pull the meat off the bones, cut it into 1/2-inch pieces and refrigerate.
5. Return the bones to the pot, partially cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the broth is richly flavored.
6. Strain the broth into a clean heat proof bowl and rinse out the pot.
7. Return the broth to the pot and boil over moderate heat until reduced to 8 cups, about 30 minutes; season with salt & freshly ground black pepper.
8. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the udon until al dente. Drain and cool under running water. Drain again.
9. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil.
10. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes.
11. Scrape the mushrooms into the stockpot and add the udon, ginger, tofu, kimchee, fish sauce and sesame oil.
12. Season with salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. Add the chicken and simmer until just heated through.
14. Ladle into bowls, serve & enjoy!

Reviews

[lunaburning]

The soup is fantstic, and has become one of my favorites. But the real gem of this recipe, is the method for making the chicken stock. Oh my, the stock is simply divine!