Hot soup at summer’s end? Ugh! Who needs it? Actually, you do. When fresh corn is at its prime, it’s time for this delicious and comforting Pennsylvania-Dutch staple. This recipe comes down from my spouse’s family, though they never wrote it out, so it’s, in truth, somewhat improvised. Of course, that’s the beauty of soups—no need to stick to the recipes.
I begin by stewing the chicken with vegetables and herbs. I place the chicken in a large pot with a quart of chicken stock. Then I add enough cold water to cover the whole bird. Slowly bring the mixture to the simmer. Skim any accumulated scum from the surface of the broth. Throw in one peeled whole onion, a sliced carrot, a sliced celery stalk, some parsley and thyme sprigs, a bay leaf, six peppercorns, and about one tablespoon of salt.
Stewing the chicken.
Bring the mixture back to the simmer. Partially cover and keep at a slow simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Do not let the stock come to a boil or any residual fat will be incorporated into it.
When the chicken is done, turn off the heat, uncover the pot, and allow the chicken to cool enough so that you can handle it. Remove the chicken from the pot. Peel off the skin and remove all the meat from the bird, breaking it into bite-sized pieces. Be careful not to leave any small bones.
Strain the broth into another kettle, pressing down on the vegetables to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the vegetables. Allow the broth to cool so that the fat rises to the top. Skim paper towels across the top to remove excess fat.
Slice the corn kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Stand the ears on end on a large plate, and cut as close to the cob as possible.
Removing the corn kernels.
Bring the stock to the simmer and add the chopped carrots, celery, and the chicken meat. Here you can add any other vegetables you like, such as leeks, peas, or baby lima beans.
Simmering the vegetables in the stock.
Before the vegetables are tender, add the corn kernels and continue to cook until all the vegetables, including the corn, are cooked. Do not overcook the vegetables. Some people like to add quartered hard-boiled eggs, spaetzle, or even noodles to the soup. Taste for seasoning. Serve with a garnish of minced parsley, biscuits, or corn bread. I’ll provide the corn bread recipe in next week’s blog post.
To print or download the recipe, click here.
Click on these dishes for other Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes on this site:
Chocolate Cream Pie; Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Cake.
