What's good in
February
Best of British
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chicory
Jerusalem artichokes
Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Pears
Potatoes
Purple sprouting broccoli
Rhubarb (forced)
Spring greens
Swede
From abroad
Blood oranges
Grapes
Lemons
Lychees
Passion fruit
Seville oranges
February
Best of British
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chicory
Jerusalem artichokes
Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Pears
Potatoes
Purple sprouting broccoli
Rhubarb (forced)
Spring greens
Swede
From abroad
Blood oranges
Grapes
Lemons
Lychees
Passion fruit
Seville oranges
Chicken stock
Ingredients
Makes 1-1.5 litres
1 cooked chicken carcass
the neck and giblets from the chicken, but not the liver
1-2 onions, roughly chopped
1-2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
a few black peppercorns
3-4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
½ a large leek, roughly chopped
a few chunks of peeled celeriac or parsnip (optional)
1 sprig of thyme (optional)
a few parsley stalks (optional)
Instructions
Use your fingers and a small, sharp knife to completely strip the chicken of any remaining good meat. Set this aside for soup or snadwiches. Tear the carcass into fairly small pieces and cram them, along with any skin, bones, fat, jelly or burnt bits from the roasting tin, into a saucepan that will take them snugly. If you have the fresh giblets, add these too (minus the liver, which can make the stock bitter – save it for sautéing, see below). Add the vegetables and herbs, packing them in as snugly as you can so that you need no more than 1.5 litres of cold water to just cover everything.
Bring the pan to a tremulous simmer and let it cook, uncovered, for at least three hours – up to five. Top up the water once or twice, if necessary. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, leave it to cool, then chill it. A layer of fat will solidify on the top, which you can scrape off – but I don’t usually bother unless it’s excessive.
Makes 1-1.5 litres
1 cooked chicken carcass
the neck and giblets from the chicken, but not the liver
1-2 onions, roughly chopped
1-2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
a few black peppercorns
3-4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
½ a large leek, roughly chopped
a few chunks of peeled celeriac or parsnip (optional)
1 sprig of thyme (optional)
a few parsley stalks (optional)
Instructions
Use your fingers and a small, sharp knife to completely strip the chicken of any remaining good meat. Set this aside for soup or snadwiches. Tear the carcass into fairly small pieces and cram them, along with any skin, bones, fat, jelly or burnt bits from the roasting tin, into a saucepan that will take them snugly. If you have the fresh giblets, add these too (minus the liver, which can make the stock bitter – save it for sautéing, see below). Add the vegetables and herbs, packing them in as snugly as you can so that you need no more than 1.5 litres of cold water to just cover everything.
Bring the pan to a tremulous simmer and let it cook, uncovered, for at least three hours – up to five. Top up the water once or twice, if necessary. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, leave it to cool, then chill it. A layer of fat will solidify on the top, which you can scrape off – but I don’t usually bother unless it’s excessive.
