To say I dislike winter would be an understatement. However, once I started cooking, I found I could forget the cold.
Winter is a great time to bake, cook roasts, and make soup. All help keep the kitchen warm. Our old Victorian can get cool. I spend a lot of time in our kitchen, easier because we work from home. One of my favorite winter foods is soup.
We have roasted chicken often. I save every bone, excess skin, and all fat, freezing it until I have enough to make a soup-pot full of stock. I put the frozen chicken parts in the pot, adding enough water to cover about two inches.
Bring it to a boil, skim it, and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. I allow it to simmer covered for at least three hours, then remove the lid and let it simmer for another hour. I next put the uncovered pot in a sink of cold water, adding more cold water as the “sink water” is warmed.
Once the stock has cooled, I pour it through a colander into a large plastic container. After the stock is in the fridge overnight, I skim the fat and either make soup or put the stock into smaller containers to freeze until needed.
I don’t add anything else while making it because I never am sure how I might use it. Generally, I make soup, which is when I add the veggies for whatever I’m making. If you want to make soup but don’t have the time or chicken parts to make stock, there are a few different brands in supermarkets.
If you have suggestions or questions for this column, please contact me directly at guthrielarason@verizon.net.
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