I’ve written before about how to make whole wheat pasta more flavorful, and my main suggestion was to cook it in a broth. The downfall with using broths is that since most people will be using store-bought broths… you run the risk of having to deal with the broths that are high in salt.
Like, really high in salt.
And yeah, you could buy a “low-sodium broth” but.. either the flavor is really bland, the flavor is chemically created orrrr you’re paying an arm and a leg for it. Why not just use some of the veggies you have lying around the fridge for your broth?
Really, it’s quite easy. I promise it won’t hurt. Just make sure you have a large container nearby to use once your broth has cooled, and perhaps a funnel to help you get it in there.
I’ll be talking about chicken broth, but a veggie broth would simply skip the chicken steps. You may not have the ingredients but once you see just how simple this is to make, you are more than welcome to start plotting to make your own.
(This recipe makes 1 gallon of broth.)
1 whole chicken, or approx 4lbs of chicken cuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1tbsp sea salt
3 cups chopped carrotts
3 cups chopped celery
3tbsp minced garlic
3tbsp minced ginger
2tbsp black pepper
1 gal water
2tsp turmeric
3tbsp parsley
2tbsp rosemary
2tbsp sage
2tbsp oregano
Rinse your chicken. In your large pot, add your olive oil and onions. Saute your onions until they turn a light golden color (this is called caramelizing.) Add your salt and carrots, then keep sautéeing. Add your celery, garlic and ginger. Let it cook for a little longer, then add your black pepper.(Basically, this is a seasoned mirepoix in your pot.)
Set your chicken into the pot with the veggies, then add your water until the chicken is completely covered in it. Add your turmeric, then let it simmer for an hour. Add your herbs (rosemary, parsley, sage, oregano) and continue to cook until your chicken begins to come apart from the bone. This is it!
From here, it’s all about being resourceful. Hold onto the veggies – they may be tender enough to make a pesto. Separate the chicken from the broth, and set it on a plate. Then scoop out all the veggies and place them into another bowl. Take your broth, place it in a container where it can cool for a while. From here, you can let your broth chill, section it up and put it in the freezer. You can put it in jars and store it in the back of the fridge.
You’ve got leftover chicken (unless you made veggie broth.) Start pulling it apart, and place it in a container – you’ve got meat for a meal. Got veggies? Toss ’em in a blender. You’ve got veggie dip… or veggie spread. Chop the veggies up really finely, add a little yogurt to it, and pow – veggie salad dressing… with real veggies in it.
I can even take it a step further – we can use the bones to make another kind of broth.
What is bone stock? Bone stock (similar to broth) is something that’s been made for centuries as a way to nourish a worn body. It’s literally a way to soak the nutrients (and flavors) from the bone right into your liquid. Sounds creepy, I’m sure.. but it’s a great way to eek out those last bits of flavor to get something extra! And, I won’t lie, it tastes great!
Place your bones back into your post (after emptied) and add maybe a tablespoon of vinegar. Let it boil, then skim any unwanted fat from the top of the pot. If you still have your veggies from your broth, go ahead and dump them back in (though this isn’t for anything other than taste, really.) Turn the temp down (or off, really) and let this sit for anywhere from 4-24 hours. You want this to have the opportunity to drain as much minerals and flavor as possible from your bones. After you’re done waiting, just put it away the same as the broth from earlier… and you’re done!
Now, if there’s something else that can be squeeeeeeeeeeezed out from these ingredients, you let me know. But that’s about as resourceful as it gets to me!