Chicken Stock

If you read one of my recent posts about the Art of Feast Cooking, then you’ve been expecting this recipe for chicken stock! I’m so pleased I’ve started making my own stock, because it tastes so much better compared to the powdered or cubed pre-made stuff which I’m pretty convinced is just garlic powder and salt. Actually, one of our chicken “stock” powders is pretty much just that (though I was pretty impressed I could pronounce all the ingredients and they were all vegetarian, which was amusing).

There are a few reasons to start making your own chicken stock. The top two are that one, it’s dead easy so why not, and two, it’s just one thrifty thing you can do to work towards a sustainable kitchen. I mean “sustainable” in a few senses of the word—perhaps most importantly is making sure that when you do eat meat, you use as many parts of the animal as you can, and then some. You’re also creating less waste, by getting more use out of what’s already in your kitchen. Second most importantly is that your kitchen itself will continue to thrive—both on the taste of your delicious homemade stock, and because you’re getting your money’s worth out of fresh ingredients so you’re not having to buy a pre-made powder or cube or some such. Last but certainly not least, making your own stock means you can control the salt & fat content. Most stocks are ridiculously salty (see my previous comment about them being salt & garlic powder), far more than they ever need to be for your homemade soup. In fact, I almost always use half the amount of stock mix which I’m supposed to add into a given amount of water, jazzing the recipe up instead with fresh garlic and dried spices.

And just because I had to do some research to figure out if there’s any Aussie or Canadian/American predilections to calling this stock or broth, some fun facts! Stock (also known as bouillon) is this recipe, which includes the bones—broth, on the other hand, is made just using the meat from an animal (and who has that lying around? I’d rather eat it, thank you very much). Consomme (because you asked) is stock which has gone through a clarifying process. Now you know!

So the next time you do a roast chicken or turkey, save those bones & bits and get ready to make your own delicious stock!

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Edited: August 22nd, 2010

Chicken Satay in a Slow Cooker

Hello Three Cheeses =) I am Jeremy, Joni’s roommate over here in Australia who has been lucky enough to try nearly everything that she has made and posted on here. After living with the mouth watering recipes that have been put on here  and put in front of me at the table for the last six months, I’ve had a craving to have a go myself. With the very sudden onset of winter this last week (in Australia, at least), I’ve been reminded about how much I love winter food – warm stews, casseroles and lots of things baked in the oven! So in preparation for this winter a few months ago I cashed in all of the reward points I’ve been saving up from my credit card and ordered a slow cooker, which arrived a few weeks ago. I’ve kept my eye out for a great recipe with which to begin my career in slow cooking.

Just last week my mum passed along a book to me she bought, Slow Cooker: Easy and delicious recipes for all seasons by Sally Wise, which I had a flick through and found a nice looking recipe for a Satay Chicken which I decided to adapt and try. This recipe is definitely a keeper, offering up a stomach-warming treat in winter and some tasty leftovers for lunch! And it doesn’t have to be made in a slow cooker, either — I’ve thrown in some tips for how to do it in an oven, too.

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Edited: May 25th, 2010

Lentil Carrot Soup

Well, if you couldn’t tell from some of my recent posts, Australia’s weather has taken a turn for the cold—at least by our standards! My house has been enjoying some cold-weather dishes, and this soup is one of them. “Good” recipes to me these days seem to be ones that fulfill a number of criteria: simple to make, healthy, budget friendly, large enough to create leftovers, and of course, tastes good! This recipe is a perfect example of all those criteria, so it gets a gold star from yours truly.

This can be made on a stove top or in a slow cooker. My flatmate recently cashed in some of his reward points for a spiffy new slow cooker, and its maiden voyage was this recipe. Maybe it’s time to get your slow cooker out and try it!

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Edited: May 23rd, 2010