*This is a chicken-flavored bouillon powder; which is sort of cheating, but it heightens the taste and adds color. If you don't have this brand, another will probably do but check salt. If you don't use it, you may have to increase the salt.

Bring 12 cups of water and chicken to a gentle boil. Skim off scum that accumulates. It must be an easy boil or else you can't remove the scum effectively.

Add the remaining ingredients except dill. Cook gently with lid on for 1 3/4 hours. Add dill. Adjust salt and pepper. Cook another 15 minutes. Remove from stove. When cool, strain chicken and vegetables. The cooked carrots and parsnips are delicious. Make chicken salad from the cooked chicken (don't overcook chicken).

Place strained soup into containers and refrigerate Overnight. Next day remove accumulated fat with a slotted spoon. Sometimes there's a lot! It should congeal and remove easily. I like every bit removed. My mother likes a tiny bit to remain so that it forms droplets on the surface when heated and it looks real. Chacon a son gout! (Each to his own taste).

When reheating, don't boil it. Can be served with a variety of things, such as matzoh balls, or fine egg noodles pre-cooked then added to the individual bowls.

This is a definitive Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe. All others are imitations.

Shared on alt. Creative-cook and alt. Creative-cooking by Linda Charyk (charyk@inforamp. Net). Mm by Judi M. Phelps.