A new habit - Chicken Stock

It may not be so pretty, but, thick, rich, chicken stock is my new love. It's a base for so many choices; gravies, soups, sauces. The list almost makes itself.

So about a year ago I became entranced with a roast chicken. It may have been a few years ago when I was practicing with Roast Turkey and the roasting just leaked over into the little birds. Weekly. I've tried lots of recipes, high heat, low heat, sear and reduce the heat, stuffed, unstuffed, trussed, untrussed, but the one that stuck is Ina Garten's. She tells the story of making it every Friday night for her Jeffrey. I think it's tremendously romantic and inspiring. Ours tends to be a Sunday treat. Moved to the weekend while the kids are at youth group. Just me and my love, a chicken and salad.

The roasted chicken is the easy day in my weekly plan. I get it ready, roast it, serve it and then, ah, leftovers for lunches or dinner and the best? Easy, easy clean up. I make mine in a cast iron skillet. While we eat the pan sits. I heat it up and deglaze with white cooking wine. Then whatever veggies made it under the bird, ends up in the stock pot along with bones, skin, a fresh onion and the deglazed juices. It all simmers low and slow for a few hours and voila! Stock.

One bird. Three roads. Happy am I.