Because I had not made chicken stock before, I dug around in my cookbooks and found a treasure. Now, perhaps you are well-versed in the staple ingredient, but I thought I would share in case you are amping up for soup season (and yes, I am referring to your bushel of tomatoes!)
3 kg chicken bones (or whatever you have)
10 litres of water
1 1/2 cups of white wine (I omitted this...)
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
8 black peppercorns
4 stalks parsley
2 bay leaves
1. Place chicken bones in a large stockpot or saucepan with the water. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the wine, onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, parsley and bay leaves and allow to slowly but constantly simmer.
3. Skim the surface of the stock with a spoon occasionally while it is cooking so that the stock remains clear.
4. Simmer the stock for 3 hours or until well-flavoured (45 mins. was enough for me). Strain the stock, cool, and remove any solidified fat from the surface.
To keep freshly made stock, cover and refrigerate for 2-3 days. After this time, the stock will need to be reboiled and it will then keep for up to 2 more days. Freeze in small portions that are easy to thaw and use.
I made chicken stock and vegetable stock for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Martha Stewart's cooking essentials book saw me through. I felt accomplished! I like how it helps makes roast chicken into three meals: roast chicken, chicken sandwichs, and soup.
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