Stock

A good homemade stock makes food so much more flavorful. Whenever we’re done eating a roast chicken for dinner at home, the first thing I do is throw the carcass into a large stock pot with a couple of unpeeled carrots, a whole unpeeled onion, fennel, a couple of unpeeled garlic cloves, and any herbs I might have in the fridge or garden, plus any other vegetables that might be on their last days in my refrigerator. Sometimes if I have a bottle of white wine that we didn’t quite finish, I’ll pour that in, too. Simmer on medium, allow it to cook down by half; it will take 4 to 5 hours. If you want to let this go overnight, put it in a 275°F/135°C oven, uncovered, for 8 to 10 hours and let it get delicious while you sleep. Strain it and refrigerate if you think you’re going to use it soon, or freeze for some future day. Never add salt or pepper, so you have the freedom to season whatever dish when you make it. Another option is to buy a few chicken bones or legs at the market and roast with whatever veggies you love, a little olive oil and salt at 500°F/260°C for about 20 minutes, and then throw them in water like the chicken carcass, adding herbs if you like. Having your own stock on hand is another game changer.