From 1912 to 1939 the courtyard of the kahal complex at 7 Arsenalna Street housed a shechita – a place for the ritual slaughter of poultry. The shochet, a specially trained slaughterer with religious authorisation, made one precise cut. The bird was then inspected, and the meat was soaked and salted to draw out the blood. From here kosher chicken went to the stalls and to the Shabbat table.
Goldene yoykh – “golden broth” in Yiddish – is one of the most important dishes of Ashkenazi cuisine. It was cooked for Shabbat and holidays, and it was often where the journey that began at the shechita ended. The secret of its colour is simple: a clear broth and an onion in its skin.
6–8 servings · about 3 h · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 1 chicken or rooster (1.5–2 kg), kosher if you like
- 2 carrots
- 1 parsley root
- 1 onion, unpeeled
- 2–3 celery stalks
- a handful of dill and parsley
- salt, black peppercorns
- 2.5–3 l cold water
- to serve: noodles or kneidlach
Method
- Rinse the chicken, put it in a pot and cover with cold water.
- Bring to the boil over medium heat, carefully skimming off the foam: the clarity of the broth depends on it.
- Turn the heat down to minimum so the broth barely trembles, and simmer for 2–2.5 hours with the lid ajar.
- An hour before the end, add the unpeeled onion, carrots, parsley root, celery, peppercorns and salt.
- Remove the chicken and vegetables and strain the broth through muslin.
- Pull the chicken into pieces, slice the carrots and return them to the broth. Sprinkle with herbs.
Tips
- Do not let the broth boil hard: it will turn cloudy.
- Before adding the onion, you can char it cut-side down in a dry pan – the colour will be even deeper.
- If you keep kosher, serve the soup without dairy.
About the recipe
A traditional Ashkenazi recipe, home-style.