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Hungarian Sweet and Spicy Chicken Soup

Elizabeth Kratz

Runner up, NJOP 2009 "Better Than Your Bubby's" chicken soup contest

Ingredients

4 large skinless chicken legs

4 small skinless chicken thighs

3 large carrots, unpeeled, whole

2 small turnips, unpeeled and cut in half

2 small onions, uncut, with skins on

5 large stalks celery, uncut

1 large uncut leek

1 small bunch fresh dill

1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley

1 tsp. celery salt

2 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried marjoram

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 half to one tbsp. table salt (season to taste)

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. Hungarian paprika

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1/2 bag Manischewitz brand wide noodles

1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients except for the noodles and fresh chives in a large pot with water above the contents by at least 1 inch. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for approximately two hours, without a lid for at least the first hour.

Remove the chicken parts with a slotted spoon and debone. Return choice bits to the soup.

Remove carrots and slice, returning them to the soup.

Taste the soup and correct seasoning if necessary.

Add uncooked noodles to the simmering soup as late as possible before serving (at least a half hour).

Garnish with chopped chives.

Serves six, with enough for seconds.

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Elat Chicken Soup

Michael Cohen

Winner, NJOP 2009 "Better Than Your Bubby's" chicken soup contest

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 quarts low-sodium chicken stock

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 medium eggplant, diced

3 tsp. fresh dill leaves, minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced

1 English cucumber, diced

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. In a small mixing bowl, combine cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, salt, and pepper; mix well. Season chicken with about 1/2 of the mixture (save remaining 1/2). Add chicken to pot and cook for 3 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Pour off any fat from the pot. Add another tablespoon oil to pot; add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic and remaining spice mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, chickpeas, potato, carrot, eggplant, dill, and 1/4 cup cilantro to pot; return chicken to pot. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add cucumber.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Chop up chicken. Sprinkle soup with remaining cilantro leaves.

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In addition to the award-winning soups, we thought we'd give you another recipe that has gotten rave reviews.

Mama Lipowsky’s Old World Chicken Soup

Trudy Lipowsky

Ingredients

1 cut up chicken, approximately 3-4 pounds,

1 pound flanken

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered

3 carrots peeled and cut into chunks

4 sprigs of parsley (approximately)

4 sprigs of dill (approximately)

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients into a large stockpot and cover with cold water. The flanken will make the soup richer than it would be with just chicken.

Bring to a boil and then turn down to a rapid simmer.

Skim the scum off the top as needed and discard. Simmer until half the soup has been reduced.

Add more cold water to the top of the pot, salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking for several hours until the soup develops a rich, brownish-gold color, usually about 2 hours.

Let cool and then strain the soup into a container, separating out the chicken and flanken (save these for another dish) and vegetables (discard or use in another dish). The carrots can go back in the soup when it is served.

Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, skim the fat from the congealed soup and discard.

Place the defatted soup on the stove and heat.

Serve and enjoy!