Excerpts by Sally Fallon
"Good broth will resurrect the dead," says a South American proverb. Said Escoffier: "Indeed, stock is everything in cooking. Without it, nothing can be done."
A cure-all in traditional households and the magic ingredient in classic gourmet cuisine, stock or broth made from bones of chicken, fish and beef builds strong bones, assuages sore throats, nurtures the sick, puts vigor in the step and sparkle in love life--so say grandmothers, midwives and healers. For chefs, stock is the magic elixir for making soul-warming soups and matchless sauces.
Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds.
Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily
—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulfates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.
Chicken Stock
1 whole free-range (pastured if possible) chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional) Trish’s additions:
2-4 chicken feet (optional) 5 cloves garlic, crushed
4 quarts cold filtered water 2” fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons vinegar 1-2 bay leaves
2 large onions, coarsely chopped 3-4 Tbsp. Celtic sea salt
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped Beef short ribs or other meaty bones
6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley
*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels. Trish’s note: If you are using the liver, add the last 20 minutes or so.
If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. Place chicken or chicken pieces, and additional bones if desired, in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour (optional). Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.
Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. (You may do this soon after chicken is cooked, then return bones to broth.) Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator or freezer.
Adapted from http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html
Comments