Posted By Lindsay on December 14, 2009
Homemade chicken stock. Would you believe we haven’t bought canned chicken broth in over a year? Seriously. We make a batch every few weeks or so, and it is surprisingly simple to do. Once you taste the difference (and believe me, you WILL taste the difference), you will never want to purchase the canned stuff again. It’s that good. We use it in everything from soups to risotto, and you’d be surprised at how much depth of deliciousness it can bring to an ordinary recipe. A good quality chicken stock will take a basic chicken soup and make it fantastic.
While I’ve briefly outlined the steps in a previous post, I thought I’d write up an official recipe and accompanying step-by-step photos. Plan on at least 3 hours of idle time to make the broth, meaning it’s a good Sunday afternoon activity. That’s not 3 hours of active time, as the pot is fine just simmering away on it’s own for the most part.
The other benefit to homemade stock is that you control the seasoning. We like ours very lightly salted. No massive amounts of sodium in this stock. But massive amounts of flavor? For sure.
Feel free to change up the spices as well. We like to use fresh parsley and thyme, plus dried bay leaf, rosemary, peppercorns, and a pinch of paprika for punch. Also be aware, if you are using a rotisserie chicken, some are already seasoned. Take this into account when salting and adding other spices to your stock.
Prep all your ingredients. Rough chop is fine, as you’ll be straining it out later. Homemade stock is a great opportunity to use up those almost-expired veggies in your fridge. Feel free to throw in any other veggies you may have on hand as well. Don’t worry if your celery is a bit limp or your parsley is wilted (or even if it’s just the stems leftover from a previous meal), this stock uses it all.
Heat the olive oil in your biggest, heaviest pan over medium heat. We use our 5qt dutch oven for this, but any large stock pot will do. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
While many recipes have you simply toss all the ingredients together in the water, we like to brown the veggies first. Maybe it’s all in our heads, but we really feel that the extra step brings out more flavor and richness. Toss in the “mire poix” (ie: carrots, celery, and onion) and garlic and let them sweat it out. They are done when the onions are slightly transparent and the veggies are just beginning to brown.
Time to add our secret ingredient: Madiera. A quick deglaze of the pan with the wine gets all the good brown bits off the bottom of the pan before adding the spices and seasonings.
In goes the carcass. We buy rotisserie chickens every couple weeks, and after we’ve picked off all the meat we store the bones in a bag in the freezer. When it’s time to make broth, just pull them out, and into the pot they go. Though I do have to say at times, we’ve had up to 3 or 4 carcasses in the freezer… it begins to look like a chicken graveyard.
Add water. Our 5qt pot will hold about 16 cups. Add whatever amount of water you need to reach about 1″ below the rim.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for at least 2 hours, 3 is better, stirring occasionally. You don’t have to watch it for the whole 3 hours, but don’t stray too far as you don’t want it to boil over. Adjust the heat if necessary.
After 3 hours, you can see just how much the stock has reduced. Remove from heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out as much liquid as you can. Discard chunky bits.
Allow stock to cool even further. You can even pop it in the fridge and let it cool overnight. As it cools, the fat should separate and float to the top. Skim off as much of this as you can with a spoon. Since we don’t use the skins or any fatty parts of the chicken, our stock never has much fat to be skimmed off. But do what you can.
When the stock is completely cooled, measure and divide into freezer safe containers. We have larger containers that hold 2 cups of stock, and smaller ones that hold 1/2 cup. With the combination of the two we can usually pull out the exact amount of stock we need for a particular recipe. We usually get about 10-12 cups of stock at a time (depending on how long you let it reduce and how much water you added to begin with, you may end up with more or less).
And tada! Homemade chicken stock made easy! Use this delicious stock as a base for soups and sauces, or as a replacement for water when cooking couscous, risotto, or even risotto-style pasta. It’ll take your dishes to a whole new level.
Homemade Chicken Stock
Makes approximately 3 quarts (10-12 cups)
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken carcass
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
3 carrots, roughly chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
handful fresh parsley stems
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup Madeira wine
1 gallon (16 cups) cold water
Directions:
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, celery, and garlic and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add Madiera and cook, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan, until most of the liquid is gone, about 3-5 minutes. Add herbs and spices. Season with salt and pepper.
Add chicken carcass, and pour in water a few cups at a time, filling to 1 inch below the rim. Increase heat to medium-high and watch, stirring occasionally, until liquid just barely begins to bubble. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. You do not want a rolling boil or you'll end up with a nice big mess. Skim the scum from the stock every 15-20 minutes if needed.
Simmer uncovered for 2 to 4 hours. Remove from heat.
Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container, discarding the solids. Allow stock to cool completely in the refrigerator until fat begins to separate. Skim as much fat as you can from the surface.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or divide stock into freezer safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Posted By Lindsay on December 11, 2009
Close your eyes. Picture a cupcake. The cutest cupcake you can think of. What does it look like? Slightly domed on top, with a huge swirl of buttercream frosting. And a cherry on top. Right? It’s like a cupcake cliche, or something… with a cherry on top. Because when do you ever see a REAL cupcake with a cherry on top? Like, never? I secretly think someone got confused between a cupcake and an ice cream sundae. Because those have cherries.
But I set out to make the ideal image of a cupcake anyway. Cherry and all.
You should know by now I am almond-obsessed, and these are (no surprise) almond cupcakes. But the secret is what’s inside… cherry filling. Yes, almond cupcakes with ooey gooey sweet cherry filling. Topped with an almond and vanilla bean buttercream, and a marzipan cherry… well, it’s the perfect cupcake inside and out.
I made the cherries out of marzipan. The stems are simply floral wire (though I can’t tell you how long we racked our brains trying to find an edible solution for the stem, it just wasn’t happening). And they are so stinkin’ cute, yet incredibly simple. Just a ball of marzipan, molded into the typical cherry “butt” with a rounded toothpick. Stick in the stem and voila. Cherry.
Does this remind you of anything? There was a game… with all the little plastic cherries… that you picked? Yes! You know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s almost eery… plastic cherries… aaah memories of childhood.
Psst! Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla. And be sure to vote for these cupcakes while you’re at it!
Cherry-Filled Almond Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only) or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Cherry Filling:
1 cup frozen sweet cherries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cranberry or pomegranate juice, or water
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Vanilla Almond Buttercream:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, room temperature
2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only) or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
food coloring (optional)
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or soy creamer
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, vanilla bean, and almond extract. Add sugar and mix until incorporated. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth (batter will be slightly lumpy). Fill cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons of batter (papers should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
To make filling, add frozen cherries to medium saucepan along with sugar and juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and slightly mashing some of the whole cherries. Meanwhile, mix 1 tablespoon cool water with cornstarch in a small dish and set aside. When cherry mixture starts bubbling, add cornstarch mixture and stir until filling is thickened and is no longer milky. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Move to refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
For frosting, cream butter in electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla bean, almond extract, and food coloring and mix until combined. Add creamer and mix at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add more creamer and/or confectioners' sugar as necessary to achieve proper consistency.
To assemble, cut a cone-shaped piece out of the tops of cooled cupcakes, approximately 3/4" in diameter and set aside. Fill cavities with cherry mixture, and replace tops of cupcakes. Pipe on frosting, covering the seams. Top with a marzipan cherry, if desired.
Posted By Lindsay on December 9, 2009
It’s not often you find a recipe that is so incredibly simple you almost overlook it, thinking, nah, nothing that easy is ever very good. But in this situation, I was lured in by the title alone. Balsamic? Yes please. Brown butter? Oh hell yes. Simple. Inexpensive. And oh so delicious.
Especially when it is made with fresh, locally made tortellini.
We’re a couple of lucky suckers, as a mere two blocks from our home sits Lazzaroli Pasta. Two blocks. Ok, maybe two and a half. But still. The fact that we’ve lived here over a year and a half and had not been inside, well, for that I am truly sorry. This place is truly awesome. Like pasta heaven. Owner Tom Lazzaro even has “Ravioli” on his license plate, for gosh sakes! That alone should tell you something. We tried out the goat cheese and pear ravioli a few weeks back (I mean, goat cheese and pear? I think they’ve been reading my mind… or just this blog. Seriously delicious). This week decided to try out the homemade cheese tortellini. Simple, but it puts any store bought stuff to shame. And when it’s drenched in brown butter, balsamic vinegar, shredded Parmesan, and toasted walnuts? Do I even need to tell you? Bliss.
But, you know, even if you HAD to use the store bought stuff, I’m sure this dish would still be plenty delicious. :)
Tortellini with Balsamic Brown Butter
Ingredients:
18 to 20 ounces fresh ravioli or tortellini
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.
Posted By Lindsay on December 7, 2009
As soon as Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas season begins. I’m talking about the second you put down your fork after that second slice of pumpkin pie. Not (as many retailers would like you to believe) sooner, not later. And for many (most?) of us, the best part about the holidays are the cookies. I’d give up a hundred candy canes for a single holiday cookie.
For years we’ve received boxes of gingerbread cookies from my aunt Sally. She slaves over a hot piping bag for what must be days, decorating gingerbread boys and girls for every member of the extended family. They are beautiful, her cookies, each one personalized with her artistic touch. Since Sally has mentioned to me on multiple occasions that I would one day take over this tradition, I figured I better get practicing. Lucky for me I had enthusiastic help, and my sister and I spent the majority of two days rolling, cutting, baking, and frosting dozens of cookies. (And what’ya know, Taylor actually picked up a piping bag and decorated a few, with surprisingly precise, and increasingly sarcastic typography. Just guess which one of the above morsels was his handiwork… that’s Taylor for you.)
This is the first time I’ve ever decorated anything with royal icing. It’s a bit tricky, and will definitely take a few more attempts before I feel like we’re really getting the hang of it. In my research, I did find a few very good resources and tutorials for making and using royal icing. If you’ve ever wanted to give it a go, I’d suggest reading these first:
- How to Make Royal Icing (with recipe and pictures)
- How to Flood Cookies with Royal Icing (the decorating technique used to get nice smooth frosted cookies)
The gingerbread recipe itself is my grandmother’s. Bettie Landis was the queen of precision (much like I am the princess of sarcasm… if you get my drift). Her recipes are anything but precise, consistent, or complete. But that just might be the thing that makes these cookies so special. In fact, when I went to roll out and bake the cookies, I soon realized that the copy of the recipe I was using had no baking directions. No temperature, to bake time, no nothing. One quick call to auntie Sal later and I had instructions to bake at “about 350″ for “about 10-15 minutes, or you know, whatever”. Because that’s how we roll. I’ve elaborated a bit on the instructions for your sake, since not all of you have an auntie Sal you can call in a pinch.
Bettie Landis's Gingerbread Cookies
Makes about 40 large gingerbread men and then some (in other words, lots. Halve the recipe to keep your sanity).
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 1/4 cups dark molasses (orange label)
7-10 cups flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 + 1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon baking soda
*We've seen versions of this recipe with as little as 6 cups and as many as 10. I used 8 and the dough was quite sticky. Use more flour for a stiffer cookie (say, for gingerbread houses), and less flour for softer cookies. It's very forgiving.
Directions:
Cream shortening and brown sugar. Add molasses and mix well.
Mix spices with 1 cup of the flour and add. Add the rest of flour about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating adding water and flour. Combine baking soda and final 1/4 cup water and add last.
Cover and chill dough for at least an hour before rolling out. (At this point you can also freeze the dough for up to a month. Thaw completely before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness (I found about 1/4 inch thick makes nice soft yet sturdy cookies) and cut out shapes. Arrange cookies on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet.
Bake cookies for approximately 10-14 minutes or more (longer cooking times will yield stiffer cookies). Allow to cool a few minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to cooling racks and cool completely before frosting.
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