Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe for: (Leftover) Chicken & Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

·         Leftover chicken carcass

·         2 small onions, peeled & diced

·         2 carrots, peeled & cut into batons

·         2 sticks celery, sliced duagonally

·         1 leek

·         1 parsnip (optional), peeled & diced

·         1 potato (optional), peeled & diced

·         Leftover chicken gravy (if any)

·         Small bunch parsley

·         6 peppercorns

·         Bay leaf

·         1 tblsp olive oil

·         2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed

·         1 chicken stock cube (or one pint fresh chicken or vegetable stock)

·         100g rice or egg noodles

Method:

1.        Strip meat from carcass & set aside. Cut into bit-size pieces.

2.        Put chicken bones in large pan with veg trimmings, parsley stalks, peppercorns, leftover gravy & bay leaf

3.        Cover with water or stock, bring to the boil, the simmer gently for one hour

4.        Meanwhile, in another pan, heat the olive oil.  Add onions & sauté gently for 5 minutes.

5.        Add crushed garlic & chopped vegetables. Stir well to coat in oil & cook gently for 10-15 minutes

6.        When the chicken carcass is done, tip all the juices through a sieve into the vegetables.  Add more water or stock if needed, then bring to boil & simmer gently.

7.        Taste & season, adding stock cube if needed.

8.        Add the cooked, reserved chicken & continue to heat gently for five minutes.

9.        Meanwhile, in another clean pan, cook the noodles in boiling water for a few minutes.

10.     Drain and add to the chicken/ veg soup.

11.     Add the chopped parsley & serve.

What else you need to know:

1.        Most forms of pasta work well in this soup e.g. macaroni, broken spaghetti etc.

2.        You can also throw in any leftover veggies from the day before (cut the outside off any roast potatoes)

3.        You can also do the same with leftover beef, lamb, gammon joints.  Any bones should go into the stock-making part, as they enhance the flavour, texture & depth of the stock

4.        This should be a substantial soup.  You only need some thick, crusty bread with it.