• 100 g/4 oz carrots
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 leeks
• 1 stalk celery
• 25 g/1 oz butter
• a generous litre/2 pints chicken stock
• bouquet garni
• salt and freshly milled pepper
• 25 g/1 oz fine short noodles
• scraps of cooked chicken
• chopped parsley

Peel the carrots and cut into matchstick-thin slices. Peel and shred the onions. Wash and shred the leeks and the celery. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the prepared vegetables and sauté gently to soften but not brown. Add the hot chicken stock and the bouquet garni. Cover with a lid and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the bouquet garni and taste the broth for seasoning. Add the rinsed noodles and cook without a lid until the noodles are tender, about 5–8 minutes. Stir in any scraps of cooked chicken and chopped parsley to garnish. Heat for a moment, adding a little more chicken stock if a thinner broth is required. Serve hot.