jmcquown wrote on 17 Oct 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> biig wrote:
> > What is everyone's no fail recipe for a good chicken stock? I
> > have
> > two leg quarters simmering with onion, carrot, celery and a "bit" of
> > salt. What else would you all put in. This will be used for a
> > chicken and wild rice soup found on CD Kitchen website. This will
> > be my first attempt at making stock from scratch. Thanks....Sharon
>
> Garlic! A couple of bay leaves. Peppercorns or ground black pepper.
> Dried thyme, sage, maybe some marjoram.
>
> Don't be afraid to cook it way down, add water as needed. Then chill
> it and scoop off the fat that settles on the top of the pot. If the
> chilled stock sets like jelly, you did well It will liquify upon
> reheating.
>
> Jill
>
>
>

I always add parsnip to my chicken stock. I hate parsnips normally, but
chicken stock needs parsnip for some reason. I don't add salt to the stock.
I add peppercorns, a bayleaf or 3, several cloves of garlic, tarragon and
if I'm in the mood a lemon grass stalk. A whole forked lemon added can be a
nice change of pace, so can some dill or star anise. I especially make sure
that celery leafy ends are used in all my chicken stocks, thoses leaves are
so flavourful. I put the herbs and spices in a tea ball as to be easier to
find and remove their spent carcasses. Plus I make stock in a pasta pot
equiped with a sieve insert...makes discarding the used up veggies and
bones easier.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.