It's the chicken soup du jour
By ISABEL FORGANG
Wednesday, February 25th, 2004

Super Tuesday came to New York a week early.

Actually, you might call it "Soup-er Tuesday," as the votes were cast at Abigael's restaurant for the best chicken soup in America. The winner was Rosely Himmelstein, a native New Yorker, who beat out four other finalists.

Her tasty recipe called for sweet potato, rutabaga ("It gives the soup a richness," says Himmelstein) and a sprinkling of cilantro — in addition to the onion, celery and parsnip that flavor most traditional Jewish chicken soups.

The attractive, gray-haired grandmother, who works in educational publishing and lives on the upper West Side, admits she had to measure each ingredient before she was able to submit her recipe. "This is my basic chicken soup, and I make it a little differently every time. In fact, when I got here this morning I had to check and see which version I had submitted," she confided.

The contest, Shabbat Across America's Chicken Soup Challenge, sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP), was open to amateur cooks age 18 and over, of all faiths. "We thought it would be a fun way to attract [attention] to the March 12 Shabbat Across America event," says Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, founder of the NJOP.

On that date, more than 700 synagogues across the U.S. and Canada will hold a beginner's Sabbath service and traditional Friday-night dinner, which, of course, will include chicken soup.

More than 500 cooks nationwide responded to the contest challenge with original recipes. Jeffrey Nathan, chef-owner of Abigael's, a kosher spot on Broadway, went through them all, choosing five finalists. The contestants were brought to New York this week from as far away as California for the chance to win a trip for two to Israel and, well, bragging rights.

Early yesterday morning they started slicing and dicing, simmering and stirring in the basement kitchen at Abigael's. Judges included Helen Nash, a kosher-cookbook author, David G. Marshall, the director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. It was a tough choice, says Nathan, who admits, "There are so many ways to make good chicken soup."

Rosely Himmelstein's Chicken Soup

Serves 6

"When the soup is done, I love to eat the boiled chicken with horseradish, Dijon mustard and a sour pickle," says Himmelstein.

FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH:

2 pounds chicken pieces
1 onion, chopped
4 whole cloves
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 leek, white and light-green parts, washed well, chopped

FOR THE SOUP:

3-4 pound chicken, quartered, rinsed
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 leek, white and light-green parts only, washed well
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 parsley root, with greens attached
1 sweet potato, peeled, chopped
Handful of dill
1 small rutabaga, peeled and chopped
Sprigs of cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

Make chicken broth: Combine all ingredients with 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer over medium heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. Cool, then strain. If not using immediately, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.

Make chicken soup: Put chicken broth in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the quartered chicken and return to a boil. Lower heat and gently simmer uncovered for 1 hour.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for a half-hour longer, stirring occasionally. Skim fat from the surface of the soup. Ladle into bowls. Add a slice of carrot and a sprig of cilantro to each bowl.