0 3 . 1 1 . 1 2

rain spells

leisurely mornings

spent in an overstuffed leather chair

all-day fires

and tried-and-true,

Marno's Chicken Noodle Soup

from The New Basics Cookbook

1 chicken (4 lbs), preferably a stewing hen

2 onions, halved

4 whole cloves (I like more, around 10)

4 ribs of celery, with leaves

4 carrots, peeled

3 parsnips, peeled

3 cloves of garlic

6 sprigs dill

6 sprigs parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 quarts water

1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)

Marno's Noodles (recipe to follow)

1 1/2 cups fresh English peas

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Rinse the chicken well and place it in a large soup pot.  Stud each onion half with clove, and add them to the pot along with the celery, carrots, parsnips, garlic, sprigs of dill and parsley, and salt and pepper.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.  Occasionally skim off any foam that forms on top. Remove the chicken from the soup and allow it to cool.  Remove the skin and bones, and shred the meat.  Reserve the meat, covered, in the refrigerator. Strain the soup, discarding the vegetables, and return the liquid to the pot.  Add the bouillon cube (for stronger flavor) and adjust the seasonings.  Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes (to intensify the flavor). Set aside. Make the noodles. Before serving, bring the chicken broth to a gentle boil.  Add the noodles and cook until they are tender, 4 minutes.  Gently stir in the reserved chicken and the peas, chopped dill, and chopped parsley.  Heat through and serve. Yields 8 servings.

Marno's Noodles

(I like to double the noodle recipe)

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

(I add 1 tsp ground nutmeg)

Beat the egg and salt together in a bowl.  Mix the flour in with a fork.  Using your hands, form the mixture into a ball and knead it to form the dough. Dust a work surface with flour, and roll the dough out to form a very thin rectangle approximately 18x9 inches. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll the dough up in jelly-roll fashion, along the long side, to form an 18-inch long roll. Slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide rings. Carefully shake out the rings to form long noodles, and let them rest on a baking sheet for 10 minutes before adding to the soup.