Chicken Stock

This makes a beautiful rich stock that will create the perfect base for any soup or casserole dish you are making. A country mile away from shop bought stock or bouillon, you can make this with a meal specifically in mind or simply make it to get the maximum benefit with little waste from cooking a whole chicken. A great use for your slow cooker.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 chicken carcase
2 medium sized carrots
2 – 3 sticks celery
1 large tomato
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
Boiled kettle – hot water

Method:
Switch the slow cooker to high
Add the oil
Peel and chop the onion, add to the slow cooker
Take the carcase and remove all visible skin and fat but do not remove any chicken meat
Break the carcase into 4 pieces and add to the slow cooker
Wash, peel and chop the carrot, wash and chop the celery and tomato and crush and chop the garlic
Add all to the slow cooker with the dried herbs and bay leaves
Season with the salt and pepper
Pour enough hot water to cover all the ingredients
Switch the slow cooker to low and cook for 5 – 8 hours
Remove all the vegetables and bones and sieve to extract any small pieces of bone before using in any recipe

*tip: Use a fat separator or skim off any fat if using right away, or cool then chill in the fridge and take any visible fat off the surface when cold. The fat will solidify in the fridge and be easy to pick off the surface. Exchange the chicken carcase for beef bones available from the butcher for a beef stock.