Jewish Week

Chicken Soup Goes Hollywood

March 19, 2009
View the article here.

At times like these, with cold temperatures and a bleak economy, everyone can use the nostalgic warmth of chicken soup. With so many recipes out there, probably one for every Jew, the National Jewish Outreach Program set out to find the best, at its second-ever “Better Than Your Bubby’s” Chicken Soup Challenge.

Held at Abigael’s on Broadway last Thursday, the contest featured the top five recipes, chosen from hundreds, expertly prepared by executive chef Jeff Nathan. The contest also highlighted the importance of tradition, of so-called “Jewish penicillin” and of Shabbat, as a way to promote NJOP’s 13th annual Shabbat Across America this weekend.

“For Jews, it’s tradition,” and economical, said Rabbi Yitzchak Rosenbaum, associate director of NJOP. “You can get taste without too much expense. When you made good chicken soup, you still had a chicken to eat. You did your best for Shabbat.”

So what’s wrong with the traditional way? Nothing, Rabbi Rosenbaum said.

“If you’re eating the same thing every week, you get bored,” he said. “Jews absorb [cooking traditions] from surrounding neighborhoods. Even though we love it, we want to add something of our own.”

The finalists’ recipes included a classic recipe, a Hungarian version with paprika and a soup with barley and mushrooms. The winner, Elat Chicken Soup by Michael Cohen, center, of Hollywood, Calif., included many of the traditional ingredients, potato, carrot and dill, as well as chickpeas, cucumber and eggplant.
“I was inspired by the contest, and wanted to do something with an Israeli twist,” said Cohen.
“I bought the ingredients at Elat market, down the street from my house,” hence the name. He wasn’t expecting to win the contest, or the grand prize round-trip ticket to Israel. “Now I’ll have to figure out when to use my ticket.”