So you've been stuffing your face full of chicken for the last two days and now you have these bones just begging to be turned into a beautiful broth.
Broth is something that I like to always have in my fridge or freezer. It's easy to make a lot of at one time, and it makes a hot meal in minutes with the addition of whatever you have on hand.
After making sure all the meat has been picked from the chicken, put it in a deep stockpot and fill with cold water.
As I said, I wanted to try something new this time, so the stock is the first place to lay down the 'theme' of your flavours. This is the platform to set the tone for whatever you'll be making with the broth. The combinations are limitless, a real opportunity to get creative. Here are my two favourites:
Asian: Add lemongrass (smash it on the side of the counter first) , charred red onion (put it on your burner for a bit to darken it up) star anise, peppercorns, garlic and ginger.
Classic: Carrots, onions, celery, garlic, peppercorns, bouquet garnis (parsley thyme and bay leaf)
This time though, I wanted to impress myself. Try something fresh and new. I could feel the potential of this soup.
When it comes to cooking, the creation process for me is an ongoing affair. All day long I think about the next meal I'll prepare. I love the ritual of entering the kitchen. I can't begin to cook unless the kitchen is clean and I have a sharp knife. I asked for a global chef's knife for my birthday when I was 12. I get panicked if I have to cook with a dull knife. It makes the most profound difference in one's ability to prepare dishes with ease and comfort. I like a wet cloth under my cutting board to keep it from slipping around, too, if we're on the subject of kitchen rituals.
The stock: This time I put onions, celery, garlic, and carrots into the pot, as well as a few bay leaves, a couple whole jalapeno peppers and a big stick of cinnamon.
I brought it to a boil, skimming off the foam that rises to the top, then turned the heat down to medium low and let it cook for about 2 hours. The longer your stock simmers, the deeper the flavour, so if you've got the time, use it.
I strained the broth and set aside, reserving about 2 cups to soak some rice in. I used jasmine rice and let it sit in the stock, covered, while I prepped the veggies for the soup. I used a cup of uncooked rice and it ended up soaking up more broth than I anticipated. Remember that it will swell and break up, making the soup thick and lovely.
I chopped a whole red onion, a few cloves of garlic, and some more jalapenos, all fairly small. I took some red and green peppers and cut them into big chunks, quarters, and roughly chopped some carrots as well.
Heat the stock pot over medium high heat, add a glug of oil, add the garlic and chilies and cook for about one minute. Next add the onions and cook until translucent and aromatic. Add the peppers and carrots next, and another stick of cinnamon. Pour your stock over the veggies, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook it for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I made a little tomato salsa to garnish (tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, garlic, lime juice and salt) and fried some corn tortillas to crispy in a hot pan with some canola oil and salt.
The soup was pretty divine. Try it out and let me know what you think. I've made a fair few chicken soups and this one might take the cake.
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