Simply put, good stock makes great soup. And though it may seem daunting, making
home-made stock is actually easy work that requires little chopping.
There are two basic stocks -- white and brown -- and we'll show you
how to master them both. Each takes about the same time, but for brown stock,
the chicken and vegetables spend half the time caramelizing in the oven and
the other half in the stockpot flavoring the liquid; white stock is made entirely
on the stovetop. Brown stock has deeper flavor, but sometimes white stock works
best -- in our Wonton Soup, for example, white stock's milder flavor
doesn't overpower the delicate wontons. White stock is also good to keep
in the freezer for other recipes. Its light color suits risottos, mashed potatoes,
and cream soups.
Once you have a well-made stock, throwing together a soup is a snap. Just add
some chicken, noodles, rice, or vegetables, and you're all done. We've developed
versions of eight popular chicken soups that highlight the flavor of the stock,
so you'll taste the return on your investment.
Stock Tips
Put the vegetables and herbs in the pot first. Arrange the chicken pieces
on top so they don't float to the surface and interfere with skimming.
Start with cold water. If you pour hot water over the chicken, it releases
specks of protein that make the stock cloudy.
Add only enough water to barely cover the chicken in the pot. More water dilutes
the stock's flavor.
As soon as the chicken comes to a boil, immediately reduce to a simmer. As
chicken cooks, it releases fat and protein, which float to the surface. If the
stock boils, the fat and protein are churned into it and make it greasy and
cloudy.
To collect the fat that floats to the top as the chicken cooks, skim every
30 minutes or so with a spoon or a ladle. Or refrigerate the stock for 8 hours
or overnight, and scoop off the congealed fat with a large spoon.
Cook noodles, rice, and matzo balls in water rather than the stock so they
don't muddy the stock.
Because the stock concentrates during cooking, don't add salt to the
stock. Add what you need to the final soup recipe so you can control the saltiness.
