This is getting a bit desperate - but without chicken stock I would be lost. It is true there there are some fairly decent commercial ones, and also that I occasionally make insipid ones, but on the whole there is more depth of flavour in a dish that's used a home made stock, and far less MSG!
So, open the freezer and drag out all the plastic bags full of old chicken bones. Into a large, deep if possible, saucepan. Fill it up with water and bring to the boil. Ideally you should remove any scum that rises at this point and then add some chopped vegetables, typically carrot, onion and celery - but leek, turnip and I've used fennel are also good. A bay leaf or two, some parsley stalks if available, and a few black peppercorns can be added. Bring to the boil again, then reduce to a simmer - with or without a lid - but with the extractor fan going hard - for two or three hours.
Additional extras can include, the half lemon you stuffed into the chicken cavity, fresh herbs (thyme is good), bouquet garni is traditional, the last inch of white wine in the bottle on the side, I have seen tomatoes suggested, but I've never tried it (flying in the face of nature if you ask me!). Anything you like that will add to the flavour without dominating it.
There are vegetable stocks too that can allegedly be made from peels and old bits of veg - I made one once, but since I'm not a veggie, I haven't really bothered since.
What I ate today
Today I had a lovely farewell lunch with my friend Liz in the really nice new Japanese restaurant. We had a mix of vegetable and prawn tempura (butternut squash, courgette, aubergine, and asparagus), a sashimi salad, which was delicious - with two types of raw fish - and a vast plate of nilgri (which I know understand are the sushi with the fish strip on top.) It was utterly delicious - and filling. Now at 6.45pm I am thinking of supper and knowing nothing in the house will live up to it! I have discovered you can order from there via Just Eat - and you know that I will be doing that soon!
So, open the freezer and drag out all the plastic bags full of old chicken bones. Into a large, deep if possible, saucepan. Fill it up with water and bring to the boil. Ideally you should remove any scum that rises at this point and then add some chopped vegetables, typically carrot, onion and celery - but leek, turnip and I've used fennel are also good. A bay leaf or two, some parsley stalks if available, and a few black peppercorns can be added. Bring to the boil again, then reduce to a simmer - with or without a lid - but with the extractor fan going hard - for two or three hours.
Additional extras can include, the half lemon you stuffed into the chicken cavity, fresh herbs (thyme is good), bouquet garni is traditional, the last inch of white wine in the bottle on the side, I have seen tomatoes suggested, but I've never tried it (flying in the face of nature if you ask me!). Anything you like that will add to the flavour without dominating it.
There are vegetable stocks too that can allegedly be made from peels and old bits of veg - I made one once, but since I'm not a veggie, I haven't really bothered since.
What I ate today
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