Side Dish - 7th Nov

Side Dish from ABC, Brothers & Sisters.

Soup

About a month ago I gave Kevin a soup recipe I was making and asked him to pick up some of the ingredients at the market. One thing in the recipe was chicken broth and, if Kevin ever opened our freezer to look for anything except ice cream, he would see quarts and quarts of the stuff. But instead, he was being sweet and proactive and ended up coming home with 5 cans of chicken broth for me. Blech.

You see, Nora and I agree: homemade chicken broth tastes better than canned. Not that I have never used canned chicken broth. Certainly in a pinch you can get away with it, but homemade chicken broth is just one of those kitchen staples that takes minimal effort and tastes so much better than anything you could buy in the store. And with the ability to freeze it for up to 3 months, there is really no reason not to make your own next time you make a roast chicken. Of course with Thanksgiving around the corner, you can also make a Turkey Broth with the leftover bones from that feast.


In the meantime, if anyone needs 5 cans of chicken broth from a store, just let me know. Otherwise do yourself a favor and make your own:

CHICKEN BROTH
Makes about 2 ½ quarts

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds chicken backs, neck and wings (any combination)
½ pound chicken gizzards
2 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
2 celery stalk
1 medium yellow onion, skin left on, quartered

1. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Put it in a tall 8-quart pot along with the vegetables. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Adjust the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam and fat from the surface. Simmer, skimming occasionally, 4-6 hours. If the water dips below the chicken and vegetables, replenish with more.
3. Pour or ladle the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Skim off and discard any fat that rises to the surface.
4. The broth may be refrigerated for up to 4 days or ladled into freezer containers and frozen for up to 3 months. (Hidden behind the ice cream if it’s Kevin’s freezer!)