How to Improve Purchased Chicken Stock

Basically, to make store-bought stock better, what I do is to take the aromatic vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, garlic) and sauté them until they are lightly browned, then add them along with a bay leaf and one whole clove (the spice) to the canned or boxed stock. Figure on about 2 cups (480 ml) of raw vegetables to 6 cups (1.4 l) of stock, along with the bay and clove. Bring this to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, and you’ve added a lot of flavor to the stock.