Making Chicken Stock and Vegetable Stock

CHICKEN STOCK
If you prefer a slightly deeper flavour, you can brown the bones and the vegetables in a 180°C (160°C fan forced) oven for 20 minutes first, or use a leftover roast chicken carcass. This stock makes a nutritious base for a healing chicken soup or broth, known by some as ‘Jewish Penicillin’ and prescribed by many to chase a head cold away.

makes 1 litre
GF
what you need
2 raw chicken carcasses
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 leek, washed and roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
6 stalks of fresh thyme
6 whole black peppercorns
¼ cup (60ml) white wine or 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

what you do
1. Place all the ingredients into a large stockpot (about 6 litre capacity) and cover with 4 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture simmers. Ladle off the scum that rises to the top, and discard. Simmer gently for 3-4 hours, until liquid reduces by half.

2. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. If you like, return the stock to the pot and simmer again, which will reduce the quantity and intensify the flavour even more (this helps with storage space – strongly flavoured stock can then be diluted to taste).

3. Allow the stock to cool, then refrigerate. Any fat will solidify on the surface when the stock is cold, which can then be easily removed or kept as desired. Use as needed in any recipe requiring chicken stock.

 Storage: Chicken stock will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Divide your cooled stock into portion sizes you think you will use, and freeze to have on hand when you need it.

VEGETABLE STOCK
This is an all-purpose vegetarian stock, mild in flavour, useful as a vegetarian substitute whenever chicken stock is asked for.

makes about 1 litre
V GF
what you need
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 leek, washed and roughly chopped
4 tomatoes, halved
2 bay leaves
6 stalks of fresh thyme
6 whole black peppercorns

what you do
1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot (about 6 litre capacity). Sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and leek for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, until soft but not coloured.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and cover with 3 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture simmers. Ladle off the scum that rises to the top, and discard. Simmer gently for 2-3 hours, until liquid reduces by half.

3. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. If you like, return the stock to the pot and simmer again, which will reduce the quantity and intensify the flavour even more (this helps with storage space – strongly flavoured stock can then be diluted to taste).

4. Allow the stock to cool, refrigerate. Use as needed in any recipe requiring stock.

 Storage: Vegetable stock will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Divide your cooled stock into portion sizes you think you will use, and freeze to have on hand when you need it.

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