Hamud – chicken soup with lemon

Serves 6

• 1 chicken
• 0 stalks celery
• 0 cloves garlic
• 0 black pepper
• 0 lemons
• 0 courgettes
• 120g rice

Step 1
Collect a chicken carcass, giblets and bones to make a rich stock.

Step 2
The giblets must be very fresh, and the bones and carcass those of a chicken prepared the same day, otherwise any meat on them will be hard and dry, and the marrow in the bones very stale.

Step 3
Crack the bones slightly to release more flavour.

Step 4
Put the carcass, bones and giblets in a large pan.

Step 5
Add the celery and, if you like, sliced leeks.

Step 6
(The basic recipe is made with celery only) Add the slivered garlic and cover with about 2 litres of water.

Step 7
Bring to the boil and skim the surface.

Step 8
Season with salt and pepper, and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the pan.

Step 9
Simmer gently for about 1 hour.

Step 10
Remove the pan from the heat and discard all the bones, leaving only pieces of chicken in the broth.

Step 11
Add the courgettes, if using them, and cook for 15 minutes longer.

Step 12
Adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice if necessary.