Time to take stock (From Wirral Globe)

Time to take stock

2:14pm Tuesday 9th September 2008

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Did you have a roast chicken for Sunday dinner by any chance? Following the trend for not wasting food and avoiding preservatives, next weekend try making some stock...

On Sunday we bought a £6 free range bird from ASDA, delicious roasted with a huge clove of garlic, half a lemon, pinch of sea salt and large twig of rosemary in the cavity. After dinner I removed the remaining meat for the next day's sandwiches, then the entire carcass (decimated lemon and all) went back into a saucepan with a couple of carrots, 6 peppercorns, a bay leaf and a stick of celery. After simmering for two - three hours I had a perfect stock to freeze. I use plastic sandwich bags with zip seals, pushing them into my pyrex measuring jug and measuring out 500mls then sealing and freezing them directly.

I think if you make the stock immediately and freeze it immediately into smaller batches you're most likely to use it - for risotto, pea soup, pumpkin soup, stews - its' ready measured and easy to defrost in a pan or in the microwave.

Of course purists would save up the carcasses and boil several at once for a stronger stock - but I don't have room for that in my freezer and home made stock, even if not chef quality - is soothing, additive free and flavourful without much less salt than store bought cubes or concentrate!

Well it's a bit sad to have jumped from Salad to Stock - but I've been on holiday for a month. In that time I enjoyed the Wirral Food & Drink Festival, with brilliant lamb pitta breads for lunch from Sheldrakes and amazing Chocolate Sour Cherry Muddees (Brownie style bakes) from More.. artisan bakery. Unfortunately yesterday I missed the market at Brimstage Hall, when's the next one?

We harvested 2 bags worth of apples from our garden on Sunday too, any suggestions for recipes? I'm planning on stewing them and freezing them.

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