Pregnant women often find themselves fighting colds in pregnancy with a list of approved medications in hand. There are medications that can stop sneezing, coughing and other symptoms of cold in pregnancy, but none work like a good pot of Jewish Penicillin or chicken soup. There are traditional recipes and recipes that mirror the given region. All have the same basis, love and vitamins to lessen the effect of colds in pregnancy.

Jewish unrest in the Ukraine started before World War II. At the high, the Jewish population made up more than 1/3 of the total Ukrainian population. In the early 1900s, anti-semitism problems started arising. Jewish people were accused of murdering Christians for ritualistic purposes. The trouble heightened with World War II. A total of 7 million people in the Ukraine were killed during the time of the Holocaust with more than a million being of Jewish faith. Massive executions and transportation to extermination and concentration camps lasted until the end of World War II. Today, despite past Jewish history, the total population of Jews in the Ukraine is more than 500,000. As a whole, the Jewish population in the Ukraine is the 5th highest in Europe.

INGREDIENTS

3 pound whole chicken with neck
2 onions, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, peeled and cut in large pieces
2 celery stalks, cut in large pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 to 2 tsp black peppercorns
4 qts cold water
2 bay leaves, whole
7 sprigs parsley, chopped
2 sprigs thyme, chopped
Kosher salt to taste
2 tbsp butter
1 lb chopped cabbage

2 medium sized red beets
1 cup sliced dill pickles
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp sweet paprika
Ground pepper to taste
½ cup pickle juice
¼ cup chopped dill
Sour cream and dill for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Place a large stock pot on the stove.
2. Add chicken, chicken neck, carrots, beets, one onion, celery, parsley and thyme sprigs, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic to the pot.
3. Pour the cold water into the pot.
4. Use the lid to just cover the pot and turn the heat to high.
5. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
6. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes.
7. Take chicken from the pot and place on a plate.
8. Remove the skin and throw away or reserve for other use.
9. Pull chicken meat and shred.
10. Put the carcass back into the stock pot and simmer for another hour.
11. Strain the broth to remove all vegetables and bones.
12. Rinse the pot and pour broth back into the pot.
13. Turn up heat until the broth is boiling and reduce to about 8 cups.
14. Place a large saucepan over medium high heat.
15. Melt butter and sauté cabbage and the remaining onion.
16. Add chopped pickles.
17. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
18. Add tomato paste and paprika and cook one minute.
19. Scrape the contents of the saucepan into the broth and stir.
20. Cook for 20 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
21. During the last 2 to 3 minutes, add the chicken to the pot and the pickle juice.
22. Serve when chicken is heated through.