👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Prepare the meat:
- Wash and cut the chicken or hen into serving-size pieces. Place in a large soup pot and cover with cold water (about 3 liters).
- Slowly bring to a gentle boil. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface.
2. Add the vegetables and spices:
- Once the broth is clear, add carrots, parsley root, celery root, onion (with peel for golden color), garlic, tomato, and pepper.
- Add salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf.
3. Simmer gently:
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2–3 hours (even longer if using an old hen, which gives a richer broth).
- Do not stir — let it stay clear.
4. Strain and finish:
- Carefully remove the meat and vegetables. Strain the broth through a fine sieve or cheesecloth for a clear soup.
- Return the broth to the pot and season to taste.
5. Cook noodles separately:
- Cook fine egg noodles, nokedli, or csipetke in salted water. Drain and add to the soup when serving.
6. Serve:
- Place a few pieces of carrot, meat, and noodles into each bowl.
- Ladle hot broth over, and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
🐔 Notes:
- Hen soup is considered more flavorful but takes longer to cook (3–4 hours).
- Served at holidays, weddings, and every Sunday in many Hungarian homes.
- Traditional accompaniment: Hungarian stuffed pancakes (palacsinta) as a second course!
Would you like a recipe for csipetke (the tiny Hungarian dumplings) too?