Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

4 To 5 pounds frozen (or 2 lg Onions, unpeeled, quartered
-thawed) chicken parts, 2 lg Carrots, trimmed, unpeeled
-such as carcasses, backs, -and cut into chunks
-necks, gizzards (no livers) 2 Stalks celery (with leaves),
-and wings -cut into chunks
8 Sprigs fresh parsley Coarse (kosher) salt
1 ts Dried leaf thyme, crumbled 6 Whole white (or black)
1 Bay leaf -peppercorns

Rinse the chicken under cold water and place in a heavy nonaluminum
stockpot just large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Cover the
chicken with lukewarm water and bring to a boil. Immediately drain
the chicken in a colander and rinse with cold water. Clean the
stockpot.

Return the chicken to the stockpot and add enough cold water to cover
the chicken by 1 1/2 inches. Place a heavy heatproof plate on top of
the chicken to keep it submerged. Heat very slowly over medium low
heat to boiling (this should take 30 to 60 minutes). When the broth
reaches boiling, skim off any foam and scum with a wide, shallow
ladle, skimmer or soup spoon. Add 1 cup of cold water to release
more cloud-forming particles. Return to boiling and allow the foam
to form again. Skim the foam.

Prepare a Bouquet Garni by wrapping the parsley, thyme and bay leaf
in a double thickness of cheesecloth and tie neatly in a bundle with
kitchen twine. Add the Bouquet Garni to the pot, along with the
onion, carrot and celery. Salt very lightly, if desired, but if you
plan to reduce the stock, the salt should be added only at the end.

Lower the heat so the stock barely simmers (only an occasional bubble
should break the surface; the French call this "smiling"). If the
liquid keeps returning to the boil, use a flame[tamer under the pot.
Simmer the stock, partially covered, checking from time to time and
adding water as needed to keep the solids covered. Maintain the slow
simmer (boiling will cause the stock to be cloudy), and skim any foam
from the top. Simmer the broth for 3 to 4 hours or until the flavor
is fully developed. Add the peppercorns near the end of the simmering
time.

Line a large colander with a triple thickness of dampened cheesecloth.
Place the colander over a bowl large enough to hold all of the stock
(OR use several smaller bowls). Carefully pour the stock into the
colander and gently press on the solids with a spoon to extract all
of the liquid. Discard the solids.

Cool the stock thoroughly by placing the bowl(s) in a sinkful of cold
water. Stir the stock with a spoon, aerating the stock as you stir.
Cover the cooled bowls of stock tightly with plastic wrap and
refrigerate overnight.

Remove the congealed fat from the surface of the refrigerated stock
with a metal spoon or a skimmer. Gently blot any remsining fat from
the surface with white paper towels. Wipe the side of the bowl to
remove any fat. The stock may be refrigerated or frozen at this
point, or it may be reduced to concentrate the flavor and to take up
less storage space.

To reduce, pour the stock into a saucepan or pot and bring to aboil
over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced by half, removing any foam
from the top as it accumulates. Cool the reduced stock in a sinkful
of cold water (as above). Add salt, if you wish.

To store stock in the refrigerator, place it in tightly covered
containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To store in the
freezer, pour the stock into ice-cube trays and freeze until solid.
Remove the cubes from the trays and place them in freezer storage
bags. For larger quantities of stock, place the freezer bags inside
straight-sided plastic 1-pint or 1-quart containers. Pour in the
stock and squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the
bags. Freeze the stock, then remove the bags from the containers and
store for up to 6 months.

To use frozen stock, use the frozen cubes for making sauces and
cooking vegetables or in any recipes where a little extra flavor is
desired. For larger quantities of stock, thaw the plastic bags in a
bowl of warm water or under warm running water. Use the stock for
soup and stew bases or in any recipes calling for chicken stock or
broth.

[Crash Cooking Course; David Ricketts] [Family Circle; 10/20/87]

Posted by Fred Peters.

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