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Ingredients:

Serves 4

To make the chicken broth:
1 large, whole chicken, 4-5 lbs.
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 carrot, peeled and left whole
2 whole ribs celery
1/2-cup peeled, seeded, very finely-diced tomato
1 bay leaf

To make the soup:
extra-virgin olive oil
1/2-cup diced carrot
1/2-cup onion
1/2-cup celery
Gray salt
4 oz. Porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup warm water (reserve mushroom water)
1-1/2 quarts of homemade chicken broth (if necessary, canned)
1 lb. Vermicelli
Gray salt
freshly-ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese for grating

Directions:

To make the broth:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
   
2. Rinse chicken in cold water and place in flameproof roasting pan with onion, celery, carrot, tomato and bay leaf.
   
3. Add enough cold water to come up about 2/3 the sides of the bird.
   
4. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, straddling two burners if necessary.
   
5. Cover, place in oven and braise 1-1/2 hours. Broth should simmer gently.
   
6. Remove from the oven and turn chicken breast side down to cool.
   
7. Remove chicken from broth and reserve for another use. Tomato solids will have settled to the bottom.
   
8. Discard bay leaf, pour the clear broth off the tomato solids and set aside.

To make the soup:

1. Heat a large soup pot, add oil.
   
2. Sweat carrot, onion and celery. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
   
3. Mince wet porcini's and add to pot.
   
4. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
   
5. Pour mushroom water and broth into pot and simmer 10-15 minutes.
   
6. Season with salt and pepper.
   
7. Add the vermicelli and cook until done, about 8-10 minutes.
   
8. Ladle soup in bowls, grate black pepper and Parmesan over it. Serve immediately.

Chef's note: Cool soup until the temperature is below 32 degrees F before putting in a thermos or take-out container