| The basis of a good soup is usually a good | | | | the bones, and freeze or refrigerate the |
| stock. Once you know how to make a good | | | | chicken for another use.Skim the fat off of |
| stock, you can use it for an almost endless | | | | the stock, and refrigerate, freeze, or use |
| variety of soups. This is a recipe I use for | | | | immediately.Yield: About 6 cups of stock, |
| chicken stock that's easy to make, and tastes | | | | about 4 cups of chicken.Don't feel |
| delicious. I usually make extra, and freeze | | | | constrained by the ingredients and amounts |
| what I don't use.1 Whole Chicken, about 3 | | | | listed in this recipe. You can use other |
| pounds8 cups water2 carrots, cut into 2 inch | | | | herbs for a different flavor. You could add |
| pieces2 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch | | | | ginger peels and lemongrass for an asian |
| pieces1 medium onion, cut into large chunks2 | | | | flavor. Just let your imagination run |
| cloves of garlic, crushed2-3 sprigs of | | | | wild.You don't need to use a whole chicken |
| parsley1-2 sprigs of sage2 sprigs of | | | | either. You can buy the bone-in chicken |
| rosemary2 sprigs of thyme (please, no Simon | | | | breasts, and remove the bones before cooking. |
| and Garfunkel jokes)2 tsp. saltCut the | | | | Then just put the bones in a plastic bag, and |
| chicken up into pieces.Put the chicken, and | | | | put them into the freezer. Then when you're |
| the rest of the ingredients into a large | | | | ready to make the stock, just take the bones |
| kettle, and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat | | | | out and use them in the stock.Once you've |
| to medium low, and simmer for 3 hours.Remove | | | | learned to make this chicken stock, you can |
| the chicken, and place in a bowl to cool.Pour | | | | use it as a basis for many different soups... |
| the stock through a colander lined with | | | | chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, |
| cheesecloth, and chill.When the chicken has | | | | peanut butter soup... again, just let your |
| cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and | | | | imagination run wild with it, and enjoy! |