Family recipes are really appreciated when a loved one passes away, and you realize that those earlier underrated dishes can also keep their memories alive. Garlic chicken soup is an old school dish, one of those memories that bind our family. My granny often made it, every time we eat this soup, it reminds us of her and how she bustled around the stove.
Contrary to the traditional stock, preparing this soup doesn’t require so much time, it’s not simmered for hours, just cooked over medium-low heat until the meat is tender; it takes about an hour. As the cooking time is relatively short, vegetables and meat are added to the soup at the same time, in order to let more flavours dissolve; don’t worry, veggies won’t be mushy. Scum doesn’t have to be skimmed off as the goal is not a limpid soup in this case. Once the soup is ready, you don’t have to drain it, just leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes before you serve it.
photo: zserbo.com
Ingredients:
- 1 chicken approx. 1 – 1,5 kg (~2,5 – 3 lb), cut into parts
- 2 tbsp lard
- 2 tbsp flour
- 6-7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1-2 tsp paprika
- 2 – 2,5 l (~8-10 cups) water
- 8-10 black pepper corns
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp homemade seasoning blend
- 3 medium parsley roots, cut into large cubes
- 2 medium carrots, cut into large cubes
- 1 small slice of celery root (~1,5 oz)
- 1 onion in whole, peeled
- 3 tbsp rice
Melt lard in a pot, add flour and garlic, and make a blonde roux. (Beware that garlic is not burning). Remove from the heat and stir in paprika. Pour in water and return to the heat. Add the chicken parts and vegetables, season with salt, pepper and seasoning blend. When the meat is getting close to being tender, add rice and cook until the meat and rice are done. Leave the soup rest a bit before serving.
