It is the middle of winter here now.Cabin fever setting in haha. Time to fill the freezer and keep myself amused. A couple of days away from the craft toys is a good way of recharging creativity.
Ive made hom made chicken stock. I generally do this if the fridge is looking a little sad, the vegies a little old and floppy but I loath to compost them when there is a little too much to waste.
You need one large stock pot, filled with water.
aprox 4-5 chicken frames, from supermarket or butcher. they are cheap as chips.
1 leek
1-2 onions
2-3 carrots
1 parsnip ( if there is one lurking)
celery (couple of stems
roughly chop the vegies, add to pot with the chicken frames. gently simmer for a couple of hours till the bones fall apart. I skim the top of the pot as I go, it keeps the stick clearer.
Allow the bot to sit until it reaches room temperature. Remove any fat from the top, strain and bag for the freezer. I make cup lots to freeze, it is more than enough for most recipies. If you need more simply pop an extra bag out of the freezer.
Home made bacon hock soup.
blob of butter or oil ( I use oil).
3-4 cloves of garlic
large onion
lightly fry, tey do not need to be browned, just until tender and opaque.
optional to taste: chilli,capsicum etc. whatever you have lurking in the fridge.
boil jug and 3/4 fill large soup pot. Add the following:
1large smoked bacon hock
1/2 c pearl barley
1 c lentils
pack of kings old fashioned soup mix if you prefer, or fresh hebs, a stock cube or two,soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce etc. Don't worry about making it taste right at this stage. let the simmering develop the flavors first .
Simmer for 2-3 hours, remove hock, trim of meat and return to the pot ( bone included)
Then I grate 1 lge potato, cubed pumpkin, 1 kumara ( sweet potato), 1 grated carrot.
Simmer for another 3/4 hour. Just before it is ready, taste test, add more stock, or flavoring as required, maybe a little salt and a good grind of pepper.
I make a huge batch and freeze in to serving lots. I find it best to line the bowl you will serve it in with a plastic freezer bag and fill. tie the bag off and repeat the process. Then you know you have the perfect amount per serve.
I use larger bags as it is easier to tie them off rather than risking leaking from freezer ties.Pop the bagged batches in to an ice cream container and move them about a little as they freeze so they don't stick to each other. Left over supermarket salad pottles are great to. Just run the whole container under the cold tap to remove the contents to a bowl for heating.
Ive made hom made chicken stock. I generally do this if the fridge is looking a little sad, the vegies a little old and floppy but I loath to compost them when there is a little too much to waste.
You need one large stock pot, filled with water.
aprox 4-5 chicken frames, from supermarket or butcher. they are cheap as chips.
1 leek
1-2 onions
2-3 carrots
1 parsnip ( if there is one lurking)
celery (couple of stems
roughly chop the vegies, add to pot with the chicken frames. gently simmer for a couple of hours till the bones fall apart. I skim the top of the pot as I go, it keeps the stick clearer.
Allow the bot to sit until it reaches room temperature. Remove any fat from the top, strain and bag for the freezer. I make cup lots to freeze, it is more than enough for most recipies. If you need more simply pop an extra bag out of the freezer.
Home made bacon hock soup.
blob of butter or oil ( I use oil).
3-4 cloves of garlic
large onion
lightly fry, tey do not need to be browned, just until tender and opaque.
optional to taste: chilli,capsicum etc. whatever you have lurking in the fridge.
boil jug and 3/4 fill large soup pot. Add the following:
1large smoked bacon hock
1/2 c pearl barley
1 c lentils
pack of kings old fashioned soup mix if you prefer, or fresh hebs, a stock cube or two,soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce etc. Don't worry about making it taste right at this stage. let the simmering develop the flavors first .
Simmer for 2-3 hours, remove hock, trim of meat and return to the pot ( bone included)
Then I grate 1 lge potato, cubed pumpkin, 1 kumara ( sweet potato), 1 grated carrot.
Simmer for another 3/4 hour. Just before it is ready, taste test, add more stock, or flavoring as required, maybe a little salt and a good grind of pepper.
I make a huge batch and freeze in to serving lots. I find it best to line the bowl you will serve it in with a plastic freezer bag and fill. tie the bag off and repeat the process. Then you know you have the perfect amount per serve.
I use larger bags as it is easier to tie them off rather than risking leaking from freezer ties.Pop the bagged batches in to an ice cream container and move them about a little as they freeze so they don't stick to each other. Left over supermarket salad pottles are great to. Just run the whole container under the cold tap to remove the contents to a bowl for heating.
