Cucumber Yogurt sauce - Indian style Raita

The Raita - you find it in almost every Indian restaurant - usually it's so bland and watery - it's gotten a bad name- and rightly so.

It's base is yogurt, you can add various salad vegetables to it - and that's what it's called then.
Cucumber raita, tomato raita, onion raita and so on.

It has a Maharashtrian cousin- called the Koshimbir - more on that in a separate post :)

2 cups of yogurt
1 hothouse cucumber (seedless)
2 green chillies
2 TBS cilantro (leaves only)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS mint leaves

Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber or dice it really fine, toss it with 1/2 tsp salt and place in a sieve to drain. Squeeze out as much water as you can from the cucumber before adding to the yogurt.

Mix the thickened yogurt with the chopped green chillies, chopped cilantro leaves, salt and chopped mint leaves. Add the cucumber and fold in. 

Serve immediately as accompaniment to any Indian meal.

Variations

Tomato Raita.

Use diced, de-seeded tomatoes in place of or in addition to cucumbers.

Onion Raita.

Use diced red onion instead of cucumbers.

Tomato Onion Raita

Use diced, de-seeded tomatoes and diced red onion and drop the cucumbers. 

Cucumber yogurt sauce - with Dill

I think every country in the world has some version of the cucumber yogurt sauce- and all of them are yummy. I serve this one with meat loaf or as I found out recently, it's excellent with cabbage rolls.

1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups seedless cucumbers sliced thin
4 TBS chopped dill
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBS red wine or white wine vinegar


Peel and slice the cucumbers. They need to be sliced thin- using a mandolin might be best.
Mix everything together and serve right away.
If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate so you don't end up with a watery sauce.

Cucumber yogurt sauce - tzatziki style

I call this sauce a take on the tzatziki. I am sure it's done in many different ways and the purist might not agree. But this works for my family and so ....


8 oz container of sour cream ( you can do yogurt if you like)
3 cloves of garlic
1 english cucumber (seedless)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TBS white wine vinegar
1 TBS really good olive oil
1 TBS parsley (finely chopped)
1TBS mint leaves (finely chopped)

Grate the cucumber and let sit in a strainer to drip. About an hour or so is enough to get rid of most of the water in there.
Grate the garlic or just use a garlic press.
Mix everything together, serve with lamb or roast potatoes or rather any roast meat :)
If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge. If you keep it at room temperature, the sauce will get watery.

Meatballs....and Spaghetti

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs? By special request - here is the recipe for meatballs.

I know it's easier to use dried breadcrumbs- I admit I have done that myself- just used them out of a can even (gasp) - but the best meatballs are made with fresh breadcrumbs. Just run a few slices in your food processor and use them. That said- if you don't have them - don't run to the store just to buy bread to make breadcrumbs!


I always use 2 different meats - usually pork and turkey to make my meatballs. Feel free to use whatever ground meat you like.

1 lb of ground turkey
1 lb of ground pork
1 1/2 cups of fresh bread crumbs
1 TBS garlic powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBS flat leaf parsley (chopped)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili flakes (totally optional)

regular oil for frying

Combine all the ingredients and form into loose balls. Do not squeeze them or pack them too hard. If you feel the mixture is too loose you MAY sprinkle a bit more bread crumbs - but you should not need any more. 2 lbs of meat should give you at least 15 meatballs (about 2 inches each)
Heat oil in a saute pan - this is to shallow fry the meatballs so you will need at least 1/4 inch oil in the pan. Drop the meatballs in the oil one by one and brown them on medium-low heat. Turn them very carefully. Do not crowd the pan - you want to fry them not steam them. They will be done in about 10 minutes.
I usually finish cooking them in the sauce itself. So at this point remove the meatballs from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Make your spaghetti sauce and return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 25-30 minutes till the meatballs are fully cooked.




For the Sauce

1 can of crushed tomatoes (the big can)
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 TBS chopped flat leaf parsley
2 TBS chopped basil leaves
1 cup of good red wine ( the kind you would drink)
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Once you are done frying the meatballs, discard the oil. In the same pan heat 2 TBS olive oil, add the onions and fry till translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the wine and scrape up all the stuck on bits into the wine. Cook it down for about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and the herbs.
At this point you can add the meatballs and simmer for 25-30 minutes till the meatballs are fully cooked.

Cook the spaghetti as per package directions. Serve the pasta with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh basil on top.

Feta stuffed dates - wrapped in prosciutto

This appetizer looks fancy - but it is so simple to make...
Make sure you buy the best ingredients, since there is no cooking as such, its the quality of the dates and the cheese that make this dish really sing.


20 dates (Mejdool variety) - either buy the seedless ones or just pop out the seed at home.
100 gms Feta cheese - I usually try and get the Greek Feta.
20 slices of good prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Crumble the cheese and carefully stuff the dates with the crumbled cheese. Do not over fill, or you will end up with busted dates.
Wrap the prosciutto slice around the date and secure with a toothpick.
Arrange the dates on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes till the bacon starts to crinkle.

Serve warm - not hot.


** Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian and is distinguished from cooked ham, prosciutto cotto.

Kadhai chicken - Quick fry chicken

This is like a quick Indian stir-fry chicken. Can be served with rice or bread depending on what you feel like.


2 chicken breasts (boneless - skinless) - cut into strips
2 TBS plain yogurt
1 cup yellow onion - sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup tomato - chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers - sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder (cayenne)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 -3 TBS oil


prep: marinate the sliced chicken in the yogurt for 15-20 minutes

In a saute pan, heat the oil and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder and garam masala. Fry for 3-4 minutes - till you can smell the masala.
Add the marinated chicken - and fry for a few minutes. Add the sliced peppers and salt and cover and cook for about 10 minutes till the chicken is cooked. If required you can add a couple of tablespoons of water, but not too much- we want to keep this dry.
Check that the chicken is cooked, adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve with rice or bread.

Guacamole - Dips and Chips

I love avocados. That's it. Plain and Simple. So of course guacamole is a dish that's made very often in our house. Excellent as a dip of course, top up your tacos and fajitas and burritos with it or use it as a spread instead of mayo!

This is the basic recipe - I learnt this one from the local taco shop! Along with an awesome spicy salsa recipe- which will also appear on the blog.

How to spot a ripe avocado- this is a common refrain- the only way I know is - the avocado skin darkens as the fruit ripens. If you lightly squeeze the avocado a perfectly ripe one will gave just a bit of give. It's something that you will instinctively know when you use avocado regularly.

2 ripe avocados
1 large lemon - juiced- please get rid of the seeds
2-3 large garlic cloves - crushed through a garlic press
1 tsp salt
1 TBS cilantro leaves- finely chopped

Slice open the avocado and get rid of the seed. Scoop out the flesh and place it in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt and garlic and mash it all into the avocado. It need not be smooth- a bit lumpy is actually what we are looking for.
Add the cilantro leaves and fold them in.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap till you use it.

Meat Loaf

Each and every cook in the US has his/her own meatloaf recipe. Mine came from a very cook friend (thanks Jonathan). Of course you tweak it as you go along and tailor it to your taste. But Jonathan taught me how to make meatloaf! It was a mystery to me till then :)

I make mine using a combination of pork and turkey. Feel free to use whichever meat you prefer. I have used the 'measurement' of 1 tray/package- since that's how you buy it in the grocery store.

And remember- you can never make "a small meatloaf"! Its always a lot, so be prepared to freeze some of it. Meatloaf sandwiches are always a welcome lunch.


1 tray/package ground pork
1 tray/package ground turkey

1 cup finely chopped onion
2 TBS crushed garlic
1 TBS red chili flakes
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 small can Campbells mushroom soup
1 & 1/4 TBS salt
1 TBS pepper
1 TBS dried herbs (Italian blend works very well)
3 cups bread crumbs (more if required)
tomato ketchup

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 regular loaf pans with foil.

Mix all the ingredients from pork to herbs in a large mixing bowl till well mixed. Add the bread crumbs one cup at a time and work them in. You will need 3 cups for sure. Sometimes, depending on many factors you may need more- just have some extra on hand. You should be able to form a 'loaf' with the meat mixture and it should not flop down. That's when you know you have enough bread crumbs in there.

Divide the mixture between the 2 loaf pans and top with tomato ketchup. Yes, tomato ketchup. Somehow it makes the meatloaf taste better this way. Cover the loaf pans with foil and place in the oven. Cook for 55-60 minutes. Then remove the top foil and let cook for another 20-25 minutes.
Insert a knife in the centre and check. If the knife comes out clean, the meatloaf is cooked.

Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes before you take it out of the pan and slice it.

Serve this with any or all of the following:
Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, french fries
Steamed Caulifower
Steamed vegetables
Buttered corn

Pork Stir Fry - Quick Fix dinners

We all need some simple recipes that we can whip up for a weekday dinner. This one will give you your protein and your veggies- it's easy and it's fast! Just add a side of rice and voila! you have dinner. You can substitute sliced chicken breast for the pork and use whatever vegetables you have on hand.


300 gms of sliced pork (usually loin)
1/2 cup onion - sliced
7-8 stalks of asparagus
1/2 red pepper - sliced
1/2 yellow pepper - sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms - sliced
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or passed through the garlic press
2/3 tsp salt
1 TBS white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 TBS olive oil

Heat a saute pan, add oil and fry the garlic very lightly. Add the pork and saute till just done. Takes about 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetables, salt and chili flakes and saute for 2-3 minutes more. You do not want to overcook the vegetables. Finally add the vinegar and let it cook down.

Serve with some rice or pasta for a complete meal. i sometimes cook the rice in chicken stock just for a change.

Palak Paneer - Spinach and Cottage Cheese

This is the ubiquitous Saag-Paneer that is present in all Indian buffet's By the time you get to the dish - the paneer is all gone or it's crumbled into the saag- leaving a trail of white dust!

This is actually an extremely tasty dish if done right- and my teacher was a master at this dish. I hope I come close to her teachings.

I use baby spinach - it cooks faster and blends smoother and the colour is a bright green when cooked. I add fenugreek leaves - if you can't find fresh ones, feel free to use the frozen ones. They work just as well.


1 package baby Spinach (usually about 5 cups)
1 cup fenugreek (methi) leaves or 1/2 package frozen methi leaves
4-5 green chillies
1 cup yellow onion diced
1 cup tomato diced
1 TBS garlic paste
1 TBS ginger paste
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder
1 tsp salt (to taste)
4 TBS oil
1 block of Paneer - cut into cubes and sauteed till light brown.You can increase the amount of paneer used as per your liking.


In a large pot add the spinach leaves, methi leaves and green chillies. Add about a cup of water, cover and simmer. The leaves will be cooked in about 15 minutes. Take off the heat and let it cool a bit.
Blend the onions to a smooth paste using as little water as possible. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the onions. Saute on medium heat till light brown in colour.
Blend the tomatoes, ginger paste and garlic paste till smooth. Add this paste to the browned onion paste and saute. The raw garlic smell has to disappear and you should see oil separating from the paste.
The better you cook this base - the better your final Saag will taste. So spend some time and effort on this step. This should be done on medium heat and frequent stirring is recommended.
Blend the cooked spinach and methi and add that to the onion - tomato base. Mix well. Add salt and coriander-cumin powder.
Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Add the fried paneer pieces and let simmer for a few minutes.

Garnish with a little fresh cream just before serving if desired.

Aluchi Patal Bhaji - Colocasia Leaves

Oh this vegetable can be made in so many ways. Some people (like my family) blend it all in, some like to see the leaves in the curry, some add whole peanuts and some add them crushed....But every part of Maharashtra has it's own version.
There are 2 types of colocasia leaves, the thick leaves with the dark stems which are used to make aLuwadi or patra and the thinner leaves, lighter in colour and with green stems are used to make the vegetable. Simple reason is that the thinner leaves cook down faster and the thicker variety is able to hold up to the steaming and frying for the patra.
You can add peanuts, cashew nuts, chana daal, fresh coconut pieces or even radish pieces to this vegetable. 


Here is my version.



2 bunches of the lighter green variety of leaves. Cut off the thick part of the stems and wash thoroughly. Chop coarsely.

4 cups of the chopped leaves
1 TBS tamarind pulp
2-3 green chillies
2 TBS besan (chick pea flour)
1 TBS jaggery
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup skinned raw peanuts (soaked overnight)

Put the leaves in a deep pot with 2 cups of water and the chopped green chillies. Cover and cook till tender. Depending on the tenderness of the leaves it take anything from 20 minutes to an hour. A better way is to cook them in the pressure cooker, 2 whistles and 10-12 minutes of steaming.
 Add the tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt and besan to the cooked vegetable. Run the hand blender to blend everything together till smooth.
Adjust the water and seasoning, the consistency should be like a thick daal...Bring to a boil, add the soaked peanuts and simmer for 10 minutes.

We usually serve this with 'phodnicha tel' which basically means tempered oil. The oil is flavoured with garlic.

3 TBS oil
6-7 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/4 tsp jeera (cumin)

Add the garlic and the oil to a pan and set on low heat. the oil should heat slowly and cook the garlic. If you add the garlic to hot oil, it browns quickly on the outside and the inside stays raw. If you try to cook it at temperature, the garlic burns. There is no worse taste than burnt garlic.
Let the garlic brown nicely on low heat, add the cumin and hing and remove from heat.

You can either add the entire oil to the curry or each person can add it to their own bowl as per taste.

Enjoy this taste of Maharashtra.

Indian Staples - Sarson Ka Saag Aur Makke Ki Roti - Mustard Greens and Corn bread

Sarson Ka Saag and Makke Ki Roti is a Punjabi specialty. Growing up in Mumbai, we had Punjabi neighbours who introduced us to this awesome preparation.
This preparation is made from the tender leaves of the mustard plant - the leaves have the characteristic 'bite' of mustard. They are cooked together with spinach and fenugreek leaves.

You can find mustard greens in our grocery stores in Canada and US - under the name Rapini. Make sure you pick the tender ones. We use maize flour to thicken this dish. Maize is basically a different name for corn but please do not use corn flour. You get maize/corn flour which will be yellow in colour and coarser than cornflour in the Indian grocery store. Ask for Makke ka Atta.

For the Sarson Ka Saag

2 bunches mustard greens - pick the leaves and discard the thick stems if any and wash thoroughly

3 cups chopped mustard greens
2 cups of chopped baby spinach
1 cup chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 TBS ginger paste
1 TBS garlic paste

3 TBS maize flour 
4-5 green chillies
1/2 tsp whole cumin
1/2 tsp asafoetida
salt
4-5 TBS ghee

Cook the greens (mustard, spinach and fenugreek) with 2-3 green chillies in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. Alternately you can slow cook them on the stove top - but this does take a lot of time and the vegetables lose nutrients and the lovely green colour.
In a separate pan, heat the ghee and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida (hing).
Add the onions and saute till translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes, ginger paste and garlic paste and fry till the ghee separates.
Add 2-3 chopped green chillies and the cooked greens. Add salt to taste. Saute for a few minutes till the onion/tomato is totally mixed with the greens. Simmer on a low flame for about 10 minutes. Add the maize flour and cook for another 20 minutes or so. The maize will thicken the sauce.

For the Makke Ki Roti

2 cups of maize flour
1/4 tsp salt
water
ghee

Mix the flour, salt and water to make a dough. Take a ball of dough and flatten it to a round roti with your hands. Lift the roti and place topside down on a hot griddle. Cook on both sides till done.
Serve hot with ghee on top

Tadka for the Saag - This is completely optional

3-4 TBS ghee
1 tsp red chili powder

Melt the ghee in a shallow pan, add the chili powder. Let it heat up to smoking point, and then pour the ghee into the prepared Sarson Ka Saag.

Serve the Sarson Ka Saag with the Makke ki Roti and sliced onions.

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

This is my go-to sauce for pasta...I don't know if it's the 'red' sauce that everyone talks about or if it is marinara sauce. For my family it's just our regular meat sauce.


1 lb ground meat (turkey/chicken/pork/beef - any one will do)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 TBS tomato paste
3/4 cup yellow onion chopped fine
4 garlic cloves (pass them through a garlic press)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (crush coarsely in a mortar pestle if you have it)
3 star anise
2 bay leafs
1 cup good red wine
1/2 tsp crushed dried basil
1/2 tsp crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 TBS salt
4 TBS olive oil
2 TBS fresh basil leaves chopped


Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and add the garlic and onions. Fry till they are translucent. Add the meat and the garlic powder and saute for about 5 minutes till the meat changes colour. Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste and saute to mix the tomatoes and meat. You may have to crush the tomatoes a bit more with a spatula. Add the chili flakes, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, bay leaves and star anise. Bring to a boil. Add the wine, basil and oregano and mix well. You may need to add a bit to adjust the consistency. Simmer on a low flame for about 20 minutes to let the flavours meld.

Just before serving add the fresh basil leaves.

Boil your pasta (al dente) based on the directions on the box. drain and coat with some good olive oil. Ladle the sauce on the pasta and top with shavings of parmesan or romano.
All you need is a salad to go with it. yum yum.

Vegetarian variation:

Just omit the meat, you can add chopped mushrooms and peppers to give the sauce some body. Everything else stays the same.

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Makes a nice change from the usual tomato based pasta sauce. This is nice to make in the fall when you get fresh pumpkins. I use sage in it - again a fall herb...reminds you of thanksgiving!


3 cups of pumpkin pulp. You can find the method in my pumpkin soup recipe.
1 lb hot Italian sausage
10 fresh sage leaves
3/4 cup yellow onion chopped
2 garlic cloves - put them through the garlic press or mince very fine.
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
salt
1 cup dry white wine
3 TBs olive oil

In a heavy bottom pan heat the olive oil, add the chopped onions and garlic and saute till translucent. Add the sausage and chili flakes and saute till the sausage is done - about 5-6 minutes.
Add the pumpkin pulp, salt, wine and the chopped sage leaves. Stir till thoroughly mixed and there are no big pumpkin lumps. Add salt to taste. If the sauce needs to be thinned, add some chicken stock. Bring to a boil.

Serve with spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

Learn the Basics - Vegetable Stock

This is the base for soups, stews and some sauces. Very easy- and does not take very long. Once you develop a taste for dishes made with home made stock you will not look at the store bought stock .


1 whole head of celery stalk - separate the stalks and chop into large pieces
2 large yellow onions - quartered
1 whole head of garlic - chopped crosswise
4-5 carrots - chopped into large pieces
2 large leeks - outer leaves removed and washed and cut lengthwise and then into half. (leeks can be optional)
1 TBS whole peppercorns
1 Bay leaf
4-5 cloves
1 TBS salt
sprig of thyme
sprig of rosemary

Coat the celery, onions, garlic, carrots and leeks with olive oil and roast on a sheet pan for about 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
In a stock pot, add the roasted vegetables, the herbs and spices and about 12-13 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil and then simmer till you have about 2/3 of liquid left. Strain the stock. Throw away all the solids and freeze the stock if not using right away.

Soups and Stews - Butternut Squash Soup

This is not just a fall favourite - you can get good butternut squash all year round. If you are a Trader Joe's fan like me then you can get the pre-cut butternut squash pieces to make your life easier.


1 butternut squash

Split it lengthwise- remove the seed, coat with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 60 minutes till soft. Peel off the skin and it's ready to use.

Again, you can steam the squash or just microwave it and scoop out the pulp. Works just fine.

In this soup you can just peel the squash, and chop it up and add the pieces to the soup pot and then blend it all. 

3 cups of butternut squash pulp  OR 1 whole squash peeled and chopped
3 TBS shallots finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS butter
1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 -7 cups stock** (vegetable or chicken depending on your preference)
salt
1/4 cup half and half (you can use just milk or 5% as per your taste)

In a pot heat the 3 TBS olive oil, add the butter, shallots, carrots and garlic and saute till translucent.
Add the squash pulp and pepper, saute to coat the pulp. Add the stock and salt.
Blend with a hand blender and add the cream. Bring to a rolling boil and let simmer for 5-6 minutes.

If you are adding uncooked squash pieces, add the stock and cover and cook for about 50 minutes till the squash is soft. Then blend with a hand blender or pass through a food mill. You may need to add more liquid at this point.
Bring to a boil and add the cream.

Serve with a slice of fresh bread and a splash of cream if you like.

Soups and Stews - Pumpkin Soup

Fall favourites - Pumpkin or butternut squash soup.

Pumpkin soup first.

I usually make this with fresh pumpkin - I do not use canned pumpkin pulp. Just because I like the taste and the texture of the fresh pumpkin.

To extract pumpkin pulp -
Make sure you don't buy a sugar pumpkin - that's for pies...

Cut the pumpkin into quarters and remove the seeds and the fibres. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle same salt and let cook for 60-75 minutes till soft.
Then just peel off the skin and use the pulp.

There are many ways of extracting the pulp, you can steam the pumpkin, zap it in the microwave, peel it and cut it and just cook the pieces in the soup. I leave it to you - pick the method you prefer. I use the roasting method, I just feel it gives a concentrated pumpkin flavour.

4 cups of fresh pumpkin pulp
1/2 cup chopped shallots
5 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream (just regular half and half)
3 litres of chicken stock **(or vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup)
4 TBS olive oil


In a large pot heat heat 4 TBS olive oil, add the shallots and garlic and fry till translucent. Add the pumpkin pulp, chili flakes and salt. Stir till the shallots and garlic are mixed in well with the pulp.
Add the chicken stock and mix. Add the salt (please make sure to check if the chicken stock has added salt).
Use a hand blender to get the right consistency.
Add the cream and bring the soup to a boil.

To serve you can top it with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil (use the really good one- the one used for dipping your bread), a few drops of balsamic vinegar and maybe a shaving of parmesan cheese.

** Recipe for Chicken Stock and Vegetable Stock in my Learn the Basics section.

Learn the Basics - Chicken Stock

Of course you can use store bought chicken stock - but once you taste the difference you might prefer the home made one! It does not take a lot of effort, just a bit of motivation.

1 large roasting chicken (about 4 5 lbs)
4 stalks of celery
3 large carrots - cut
1 large yellow onion - cut into quarters
1 whole head of garlic - cut crosswise
1 TBS whole pepper corns
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
4-5 springs of fresh rosemary

In a large stock pot add all the ingredients listed above and add 6-7 litres of cold water.
Bring to a rolling boil.  Simmer uncovered for about 4 hours. Strain the liquid after 4 hours and discard all the solids. (Seriously, there is no flavour left in the chicken after being boiled for 4 hours).
Chill the stock in the refrigerator overnight. Skim off the fat that will be on the top. Store the stock in the freezer.

If you notice I have not added salt to the stock. You certainly can if you want to, but I prefer not to. Just because I sometimes forget about the salt already in the stock and add salt to the dish I am cooking without taking into that salt into account.
If you can remember- no problem, go ahead and add 2 TBS salt to the initial ingredient list.


As far as herbs go, if you cannot get fresh herbs, don't panic. You can throw in whatever herbs you have on hand, parsley, dill, rosemary....Dried herbs work too, just add less.