Steamin' Chicken Soup

A steaming hot bowl of chicken soup can lighten everyone up in these dark, cold and somewhat depressing winter months.
It is cheap, tasty, healthy and easily kept in the fridge or freezer. Just add some meatballs, leeks or potatoes and it is as good as any main course.
The boiled chicken can be used to make a wonderful Chicken Salad.

Cooking time: 3 hours. 30 min  active, 2½ hours inactive.

For the Steamin' Chicken Soup you'll need:

(10-12 persons)
1 small Chicken
2 Stock Bones (Veal)
2 Leeks
3 Onions
1 small Celeriac
2 leaves of Bay Leaf
8 Peppercorns

Put the stock bones and the chicken in a big pot and add water until they're covered. Boil gently for 1½ hour. Skim the soup for foam and fat every half an hour. Add the roughly chopped vegetables and herbs. Boil for 1 hour. Strain the soup (set the chicken aside for stuff like chicken salad etc.) and skim some fat off again. Serve generous portions with meatball, sliced leeks or chunks of potatoes.
This can be kept for 5 days in a fridge and 3 months in a freezer.

Suggested drinks: Pilsner