Moldovan Zeama is an outstanding version of chicken soup. It is served throughout the year and very popular throughout the country. Perhaps that is because it is a well-known hangover cure and Moldovans love their wine. Skilled Moldovan home cooks make the thin egg noodles from scratch that look like spaghetti noodles which is what I used for the dish. The broth is made by cooking the chicken with some veggies and flavor is added with the addition of parsley, dill and lovage. Lovage is not easily found so a good alternative would be celery leaf. This Moldovan delight is perfect on a cold winter night or morning and was awesome paired with cornbread.
Moldovan Zeama (Chicken Soup)
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 small chicken cut up
- 12 cups water
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot cut into bite size pieces
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup parsley fresh chopped
- 1/2 cup dill weed chopped
- 3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- thyme sprigs 1 per serving to garnish
- lemon wedge to garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot put in the chicken pieces and 12 cups of water
- Bring to a boil gently and start removing the froth as it rises to the top, just skim it off with a spoon.
- Add the chopped onion, tomato, carrot and lovage or celery leaf along with some salt and pepper
- Cook until chicken is cooked through and then add the egg noodles and lemon juice.
- After about 5 minutes add the parsley and dill weed. Cover the pan and remove from heat and let sit covered to let the flavors mix together.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme sprig and lemon slice
- Serve warm with cornbread.
