Saturday, February 9, 2013

Homemade Chicken Stock


The trouble with homemade chicken stock is once you make it you will lever want to go back to store bought.  It has so much flavor and does not need much salt.  I am posting 2 different ways to make it- I hope you give it a try- it is worth the efffort.  I am also looking for ways to get a quick meal so when I make stock I use a whole chicken so I have precooked chicken for a quick meal another time.

Feingold Stage 1
CSA ingredients avaliable: carrots, garlic, celery, and chicken

Ingredients

2 whole chickens (organic or antibiotic- hormone free)
2 onions
4 carrots- peels on is fine
4 stalks of celery- stems and leafy part is fine
8 cloves of garlic
any fresh herb you like and have on hand
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure: Chop onions, celery, carrots and garlic. A food processor speeds this step up. Heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in very large stock pot.  Add vegetables and saute until tender about 5 minutes.

Note: If you do not have a really big stock pot than cut this half to fit a smaller pot.

Now put the raw rinsed chickens into the pot plus any fresh herbs.  I remove the livers and add any "extras" the chicken comes with.  Fill the pot so that the water comes about 2 inches above the chicken. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes.

Now remove the chicken and allow to cool enough you can handle it. Pull off all the cooked chicken meat. This can used for any recipe that calls for chicken.  I often put in freezer bags so I have chicken when I need a quick meal.  Add the bones, skins and thighs back to pot.  Simmer for another 1 1/2 hours. 

 Now strain the stock from the chicken.  I put through a large colander to remove the vegetables and bones.  You can strain again through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth if you wanta really clear stock.  Now add salt and pepper.  Don't add early because as the stock dissolves it could get too salty.  It does not take a lot of salt 1-2 tsp if often enough for the whole big pot. 

Allow to cool and freeze so it is ready. I like to freeze in 1 qt sizes and also freeeze in a ice cube tray if I need just a little stock in a recipe. 


METHOD 2

Another option is to make the stock in a crock pot.  Use half of the above ingredients (one onion, 2 carrots and celery, 1 chicken, 4 garlic).  Put vegetables in crock pot (sometimes I only cut into pieces instead of dice). Add chicken and fill with water to 1 inch of top of crock pot.  Cover and set crock on low for 8 hours.  Remove chicken after 4-5 hours to reserve meat and add back bones.  Strain like above.  It makes less but you don't have to watch the water temperture or even be home so it is a nice method.



Tuesday, February 5, 2013


Meredith Zucchini Bread

3
eggs
1/2
cup
vegetable oil
1/2
cup
pumpkin puree
1 1/4
cups
white sugar (or try sorghum)
2
cups
grated zucchini
2
tsp
vanilla extract
2
cups
all-purpose flour
1
cup
soft white wheat or whole wheat flour
1
Tbs
flax
1
Tbs
ground cinnamon
1
tsp
baking soda
1/4
tsp
baking powder
1
tsp
salt
1/2
cup
chopped walnuts (optional)
1
Directions
2
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans or one Bundt pan
3
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
4
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until done.  Do not overbake!

You can use a Bundt pan cook about 50-55 minutes, loaf pans about 35 minutes, muffin pan about 15 minutes. Bake until light brown and toothpick clean. Also yeilds 4 mini loafs.
Servings: 16

Feingold Stage One

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Beef and Farro Soup

The is nothing like a hot bowl of hardy soup on a cold winter day!

CSA ingredients:
carrots
celery
mushrooms

Feingold: Stage 1 (if you add tomatoes Stage 2)

This recipe was modified from Family Living magazine Beef and barley soup Feb 2013

1
tbsp
vegetable oil
1
lb
stew beef chunks, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1
large
onion, diced
3
cloves
garlic clove, chopped
1
quart
beef stock (low sodium)
2
large
carrots, diagonally sliced
2
ribs
Celery, sliced
3/4
cup
farro- also called wheatberries (or can use barley)
1/2
cup
mushrooms sliced (baby bella or white)
1/2
tsp
thyme
1
cup
frozen peas
1
Sprinkle salt and pepper over beef.
2
Heat oil in large pot of medium high heat.
3
Sauté beef until browned about 5 minutes.
4
Add onions and garlic- sauté 2-3 more minutes.
5
Add carrots and celery. Simmer gently, covered, for about 1 hour.
6
Add farro, thyme and mushrooms and simmer 30 more minutes.
7
Add peas and simmer 1 more minute.
Servings: 6
Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe.
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information provided by the recipe author.
Amount Per Serving
Calories
304
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7g
11%
Saturated Fat 2g
10%
Cholesterol 40mg
13%
Sodium 724mg
30%
Total Carbohydrates 33g
11%
Fiber 8g
32%
Protein 27g
54%
Tips
Optional: add 1 can diced tomatoes with farro.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Beef Brisket

CSA ingredients:
Beef Brisket
Carrots

Feingold: Stage 1 unless you add tomatoes than Stage 2



This recipe was modifed from a web site called : The Shiksa in the Kitchen

1 beef brisket (mine was 3.5 lbs- see note below on size)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 celery stalks,diced
2 carrots,diced
4 garlic cloves peeled
1 quart of beef broth
Kosher salt
pepper
Bay leaves
1 fresh thyme and rosemary sprig
fresh parsley, chopped

Optional: add 1 small can of tomato paste to vegetable mixture and coat meat with mixture before roasting.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2.Let brisket sit at room temperature about 15-20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with salf and pepper (generously)
4. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil.
5. Place brisket in hot roasting pan and cook about 4-5 minutes per side until brown.
6. Add diced onions, carrots and celery to pan.
7. Top with garlic cloves and herbs. 
8. Pour broth into pan.
9. Cover with foil and place in oven.  Roast one hour per pound of brisket.  Do not disturb during cooking. 
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

I would recommend using a 5-6lb brisket. You can double the vegetables if you use a bigger roast and bigger roasting pan. If you need to add more borth so it comes up the sides of the brisket about half way.  It would take 5-6 hours for this.   You would have awesome sandwhiches with the leftovers.

Gravy
Remove bay leaf, rosemary and thyme.  Place remaining ingredients into bowl.  Blend with immersion blender, in regular blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper if desired.   Heat until warm and serve over meat.