What are we going to do with that stock??

Ok, so the best thing to use your stock for is a soup. You can also use your stock in place of water, when cooking rice and grains. Today we are going to make chicken and vegetable soup.

You have now your homemade chicken stock. Now choose some of your favorite vegetables. I use carrots, parsnips, baby turnips, celery and onions. Cut the carrots and parsnips into 1/2 moon shapes, cut the celery on a bias cut and the baby turnips into bite size pieces. The onion you will dice. Your ratio depends on what you like and you can take a away or add any other vegetables you want!!

So we have your vegetables all cut and ready to go, get your soup pot on the stove and add a little olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the bottom. Actually, we are going to pause for a moment and talk about oils...many people use the generic corn or vegetable oils since they are cheaper. These oils are mostly genetically modified foods which means they are not a REAL food and they are usually partially hydrogenated oils(please click the title to this post to read more about essential fats). You are just putting empty unnecessary fats into your body. If you are using oils, use a cheaper pure olive oil to cook with and if you love salads with olive oil get the extra virgin. There are a variety of olive oils, try some different ones and find your favorite! There are also other oils like sunflower, safflower and nut oils...the list goes on and on.....

Back to the soup, you have your pot with olive oil getting hot, add your onions and cook till they just start to turn translucent, now the rest of the vegetables. Season these with salt, black peppers and a sprinkle of red chili flakes. Saute this mixture just for a few moments, then add your chicken stock. Toss in a bay leaf and let come to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes and then add your fresh herbs to finish. My personal favorite is dill but some people favor parsley or thyme or oregano...use what ever you like the most! Taste and check the seasoning, add what ever you like.

Now you have a simple chicken and vegetable soup. You can cook of rice or pasta to add, and of course add any left over chicken meat to your soup.

Bon apetit, let me know how it goes!!

Onto stocks....certainly not on wall street though

Stocks are one of the most important parts of any soup, braise and even grains. You can use a good chicken or vegetable stock to cook your brown rice, it will only add flavor.

A good vegetable stock has a variety of vegetables in it. Any vegetable scrap you have is perfect. Also add fresh herbs, peppercorns and bay leaves. Mushroom stems add a really nice flavor if you’ve got them lying around.

As for chicken stock I find that if you roast a chicken for dinner and save the bones that this makes the best stock. Also you are using the whole animal which is always nice on nature and the pocket book/wallet. You can also go to your local butcher and ask them for plain old chicken bones to make your stock with. You want to also add onions and any other vegetable scraps you have or even fresh ones. The best ratio is 50%onion, 25%carrot and 25%celery; however you can add any other vegetable scraps you have around, this isn’t written in stone. Also herbs are very helpful as well as some black peppers and bay leaves. Bay leaves are the most important because they are a diarrhetic and aid in cleansing your body.

Now, not everybody has time to make a stock. There are many brands in the grocery stores, but a lot of them have so many unnecessary additives! Two brands that I have found that are just simply stock are “Americas Choice” and “Wolf-gang Puck’s”

What happens to the braising liquid??

So, you’ve made your braise and you are left with this liquid...what to do what to do...

The first step here is to remove all the meat and place to the side. Next you will strain the left over liquid. In your home kitchen the best tool I have found is your normal strainer; however if you own a fine chinoise or china cap these are best.

Ok, so you have strained your liquid and placed it back into the same pot. Now heat it to a boil and reduce to a simmer. The goal here is to reduce the liquid about 1/2 way. The trick is to do it slow as to get the most flavor. While this is happening there will be a brown residue that floats to the top, just take a spoon and scoop this right off the top.

Once the this has reduced by 1/2 you may add a touch of butter and any seasonings needed, pour over the meat and serve.

Next time we will talk about homemade stocks. How to make them and if if you don’t have time for that, which brands are best to buy.

Have a great evening everyone!!

The tricks to a perfect braise

Braising is one of my favorite ways to cook. It is the essential slow food. There are some important steps that must happen in order to have a fabulous braise....tricks of the trade one might say. I am going to share some of those tricks with you today.

First and foremost is flavor! Where do you think this flavor comes from? Well the first place is the stock you use. The best is homemade, but there are some great brands out there that will work. Second is caramelization. This is the color you get on the meat and the vegetables. A nice, crisp brown color is exactly what you are looking for.

Secondly is fresh herbs and whole spices. This is important in all cooking! Always have fresh herbs and whole spices in your fridge.

Thirdly is the oven temperature. You want to cook braises low and slow.

A good range is 275-325 degrees.

Forth, and maybe the most important, is deglazing the pan. When you sear the m,eat and saute the vegetables there is a residue left behind. This is where all the caramelization flavor is. To get this you add a liquid (usually wine) and it will pull it right off.

Last, but not least is marinating. If you rub down the meat the night before and let it marinate in some yummy flavors, this will only add to the braising liquid.

Which, once the braise is done, you will use to then make sauce....but that we will get into next time as well as stocks.