I know it’s been a while, but life (and children) happen and you just get a bit too much into the lazy days of summer. But now that autumn is hitting us, I felt inspired to share recipes again. I would also love to encourage you to share your favorite family recipes on my Facebook page.
As the weather turns cold and we start preparing for our harvest festivities here in Germany, I always get an urge to make homemade consommé (which is a fancy way of saying broth or stock). So, the first recipe I would like to share is for chicken consommé. You can drink this up in a mug on a cold day, or add it as stock to your favorite recipes. I love doing everything homemade where the kids’ foods are involved so I know how much (or how little) salt goes into their food, as well as how fresh the ingredients are. When it comes to good food, you can never go wrong with the Barefoot Contessa. I follow her recipe for chicken stock, but add one ingredient that, in my opinion, makes all the difference.
Chicken Consommé (Chicken Stock/Broth)
3 (5-pound) roasting chickens (here we seem to have more access to chicken legs, so I use those)
3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
4 parsnips unpeeled and cut in half (optional) – I love having the spice of this veggie in the stock
20 fresh parsley sprigs
20 fresh thyme sprigs
1 head of garlic, unpeeled and cut in half
2 tablespoons of kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
*My modification is to add 2 teaspoons of cloves – it adds a lovely bit and fragrance
Put all ingredients in a large 16-20 quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that comes to surface. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours.
I usually make this on a weekend morning, so it can simmer and cool down overnight. Once you have simmered it for 4 hours, remove from heat, but do NOT put it in a refrigerator until you have let it cool completely – which can take about 7 hours. The next morning, I skim the fat off the top with a sieve, very gently. You can then use this as your stock.
If you want a clear, consommé broth, you can strain the stock through cheesecloth. Then bring the stock to a boil. In a small bowl, take 2 whipped egg whites and add to the broth. Move the pot to only have one quarter of it on the burner. The whites will rise to the surface and draw out all the dirt. As the whites surface, rotate the pot to the next quarter – about 2-4 minutes per quarter. Then pour the stock through cheesecloth again. This will leave you with a beautiful, clear consommé. If you are serving this as a consommé, add a lemon wedge on the side, as the juice is a lovely finish.
