1 4-5 pound stewing hen, with gizzard, heart, neck, and feet (not the liver, which would make the soup bitter) 1 onion 1 large carrot 2 stalks celery, with leaves 1 bay leaf 6 peppercorns 4-5 quarts water (a quart per pound of chicken) salt to taste
Bring the hen and her parts to a quick boil in the water and carefully skim the foam before adding the vegetables and seasonings. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt. Simmer gently for 2 and a half hours. Strain carefully, using the chicken meat for another recipe and throw out the remaining bones, vegetables, and seasonings.
Add any type of egg noodle you want, another option is add a canof tomatoes for extra flavor too. ---- You can use rice in place of noodles to make soup thicker ---- or use small spaetzle dumplings.
