St. Louis, MO 63144
Ph: 314-862-COOK (2665)
Mon-Sat 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sun 12 to 5 pm
Kitchen Conservatory encourages questions about cooking. We want to demystify food so that everyone enjoys one of the pleasures of life: cooking a delicious meal. The Ask the Chef feature on the website is available here.
Recently, a customer called to ask how to make chicken soup.
First, make chicken stock. Great soup starts with stock. A great-tasting stock is made from the bones (not the meat) of chicken. Using either raw or cooked chicken, separate the meat from the bones and cut up the bones. Place in a stock pot and just cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the top. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 hours. Strain and discard the bones. Refrigerate the stock. The fat, which rises to the top, can then be removed.
To make chicken soup, saute chopped onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil for about 5 minutes. If desired, add garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cut up chicken meat. If desired, garnish with a chopped fresh herb.
Stay warm and get well soon with a hot bowl of chicken soup.
store information
Mon-Sat 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sunday 12 to 5 pm
9011 Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63144
314-862-COOK (2665)
The quality of any stock, fish, meat and fowl, is determined by the extraction of “flavor” proteins from the meat and marrow. The extraction is more complete if it takes place above atmospheric pressure. Using a pressure cooker makes a more flavorful stock in one-third the time. To the leftover and cut up bones and meat from a 4-5 pound roast chicken, add (cut into large pieces) one large onion, 2 large carrots, 4 stalks of celery and 8 cups of cold water. Cook for 1-1.5 hours at the 2-ring mark on the pressure cooker. Cool, open and, using a sieve, remove the solid material. Refrigerate and remove the fat.
Once you have tasted this stock, you will never go back to “thin” canned product. The same method can be used for beef, lamb and veal. Fish stock should be cooked for about 15 minutes. Making stock is a great way to clean out the fridge, even the science experiments in the way back.