This might sound like the kind of heavy-duty kitchen
faffing that only Nigella gets round to, but it’s actually incredibly simple.
Next time you make a roast chicken of a Sunday, you can simply pop the carcass
on to make stock afterwards, using any leftover vegetables from the meal such
as carrots or parsnips. Alternatively, you could buy and strip a supermarket
rotisserie chicken, and use the bones from that to make stock. You’ll end up
with something that’s vastly superior to the kind of stock you can make out of
stock cubes, which will seriously punch up your soups, stews or curries. Or you
can serve it as is – try this recipe for Tortellini in Brodo, or filled pasta
in chicken broth, an amazing dish I first discovered in Florence.
Ingredients
One roast chicken carcass with the meat stripped off
One large carrot, roughly chopped (or any other veg you
have left from the roast, apart from potatoes)
One onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
A handful of fresh thyme, or 1 tbsp dried thyme
Enough water to cover the chicken bones
Once you’ve stripped off most of the meat, simply place
the carcass in a large casserole dish on the hob, and add enough water to
cover, plus the carrot, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to the
boil, then cover and turn the temperature right down. Allow it to bubble away
gently for about two hours. Every now and then, use a teaspoon to remove the
small puddles of fat which will collect on the surface.
Once the two hours are up, strain the mixture and allow
to cool completely. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze to use later.
Ingredients