Chicken Stock

Quantity – 1 litre

Ingredients

350 gms – Bones (chicken)

25 gms – carrots (roughly cut)

25 gms – Onions (roughly cut)

15 gms – Leek (roughly cut, optional)

1 sprig – Celery (roughly cut, optional)

1.5 litres – Cold Water

1 sprig – thyme (optional)

1 no. – bay leaf

3 nos. – parsley stalks (optional)

3 nos. – peppercorns

Method

1.      Clean the bones thoroughly and remove any fat and flesh. Cut the bones into small pieces.

2.      Put bones, vegetables and the rest of the ingredients in the cold water in a container.

3.      Now put the container on heat and simmer for at least 4 hours.

4.      Skim and remove froth from time to time.

5.      Remove from heat and strain through a strainer into a saucepan.

6.      Re-boil and use as required or cool and keep in refrigerator until required.

Note:

Use within 3 days or freeze. To freeze, reduce the stock by half by boiling vigorously and cool. Pour into ice-cube trays and freeze. When frozen put the cubes into a bag, label it, and when you want to use one, just put in a jug and add boiling water to dissolve the cube. Frozen, it could last up to 3 months.

Why use cold water?

Different flavour components have different levels of solubility in water at different temperatures. By starting cold and slowly increasing the heat, you can be sure that all the flavours have had a chance to be extracted at their preferred temperature.

Why Simmer instead of Boil?

Boiling means more volatile aroma and flavour compounds will be released, leaving a flatter-tasting stock. Simmering is optimum, because it is the right temperature, not too hot, not too low.