Chicken stock

My homemade chicken stock is the perfect base for soups, sauces or gravies. I like to make up huge batches of it and then freeze it in individual portions. Believe me, nothing tastes as nutritious and healthy as your own stock! Star anise makes a wonderful addition to a stock that will be used in an Asian dish.

Makes about 1 litre/4 cups

Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 1 oz chicken bones/ carcasses
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• About 12 peppercorns
• 2 or 3 cloves
• 2 dried or fresh bay leaves
• Few fresh or dried thyme sprigs
• Few parsley stalks

Method

1. Put the chicken bones in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add all the chopped vegetables and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, skimming off any scum using a spoon.

2. Add the peppercorns, cloves, bay, thyme and parsley, then cover and cook at a gentle simmer for a couple of hours (or longer, if you wish). Once the bones have fallen apart, strain the stock through a sieve into another saucepan or container.

3. Leave to stand and beginning to cool before using kitchen paper laid on the surface to remove the fat. If you wish, reduce the stock over a high heat to make it stronger. Portion into the amounts required and freeze when cool.

Tips and notes

I try to use bones from organic chickens wherever possible. When you cook chickens or joints, always save and freeze the bones and any bits and pieces so that you can use them for stock. Another tip is to save and freeze the stalks from parsley, too, to use in this recipe.

From Coconut Oil: Recipes for Real Life. Recipe text © 2016 Lucy Bee Limited.