This chicken and beef broth is a true classic in my family, a perfect way to start and end Yom Kippur. The beef gives it a delicious flavour. No stock is needed if you use good quality, fresh ingredients and enough salt. The chicken and beef can be eaten either in the soup or afterwards as a main, as we do in my family.It is best prepared a day ahead.
Time: 2½-3 hr, Serves 6-8
Ingredients
● 700-800g chicken (ideally boiler quartered), skin on
● 300-400g lean beef (such as top rib)
● 4 litres water
● 1 celery stick, cut into chunks
● 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
● 1 onion, peeled
● 2 tbsp tomato paste
● Bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley
● 20g rock/coarse salt
● 100g small pasta, ideally quadrucci, little stars, letters or similar (optional)
Method
● Rinse the meat and trim any extra fat. Fill up a large pan with cold water and add the meat and salt.
● Cover, bring to the boil and skim off any foam. Add the parsley, carrots, celery, onion and the tomato paste. Reduce the flame to a minimum, cover almost completely and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1½ hours.
● After 1½ hours, remove the chicken, and leave the beef and the vegetables to simmer for another 30-45 minutes partially covered.
● Remove the beef and vegetables – keep to one side - and drain the broth through a colander into a separate pan.
● If you are eating the broth immediately, skim off as much fat as you can with a slotted spoon or kitchen paper. If you are cooking it in advance, after you have strained it, let it cool to room temperature then refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight. The fat will set, allowing you to remove it from the surface with a slotted spoon. Then, when ready to serve, bring it to the boil, add the pasta if using, and cook in accordance with the pack instructions.
● TIP: If you are not eating all the soup in the same meal, cook only enough pasta and soup for that meal and then prepare new pasta in the remaining broth the next time.