Homemade Vegie Broth--Come on, you can do it!

Really I began making my own vegetable broth because I just couldn't stand how much I was paying for a couple of cartons every week, like almost $3 per carton...and the price kept going up. And here I was tossing out all the veggie scraps...carrot tops, onion skins, soft celery from the bottom bin of the fridge. My vegetable bins seem to be more like little square coffins where odds and ends of various produce meet their demise. Sometimes they just lay limp at the bottom which is kind of sad but the ones that are forgotten in the back actually begin to decay and even leak a yellowish brown goo. Do not use these for stock! Remember, garbage in-garbage out.

Back to making your own stock. If you're home for a couple of hours I think you'll be surprised at how easy making broth actually is. I make my broth every other weekend and freeze it so it's on hand when I need it. The only problem I encountered was my canning jars exploding in the freezer. As if cleaning up the vegetable bins was not enough. I tried filling the jars on 3/4 of the way but they still expanded and cracked the glass. One chef I know, Karen Diggs, recommends using plastic wrap or parchment paper as a lid instead of a metal canning lid, still using the ring to seal the wrap in place. What I have found works for me is laying the jars on their sides so there is more room for expansion. We haven't had a problem since.

Now, IF you are going to use store bought broth, which I trust you will do only for an emergency, I recommend using Pacific or Imagine Organic. You can dilute them with water to stretch them a little. However, it's worth noting that in Cook's Illustrated June 2008 issue they blasted all organic cooking broths stating, "All the organic vegetable broths in our lineup tanked." Here are the ones NOT recommended: Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base, Emeril's All Natural Organic Veg Stock, Swanson Certified Organic Vegetarian Veg Broth, Imagine Org Veg Cooking Stock, Kitchen Basics Natural Veg Cooking Stock and Pacific Natural Foods Organic Veg Broth. Imagine Organic Veg Broth was "recommended with reservations" with tasters stating stating it had a "mostly carrot" flavor and being bland. Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon Cubes was deemed salty but on the okay list with College Inn Garden Veg Broth. So which one (and only one) unbelievably made it to the recommended list? Swanson Vegetarian Vegetable Broth (not the organic one)...and why are you NOT going to use this one? Because being conscious about what you put into your mouth you know that it doesn't make sense for a vegetable broth to have "flavor enhancers" like those found in Swansons: high fructose corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, MSG, disodium insodinate, disodium guanylate, and more.

All of that should be more than enough reason for you to want to make your own stock; it's going to taste better and it's going to make anything you use it in extra nourishing. There are literally hundreds of recipes for stock out there but the one I use is a modification of Rebecca Katz' Magic Mineral Broth. You know I love everything that comes out of her kitchen and her broth is no exception. If you're making a sipping broth please visit her website and make the exact version, it's a touch sweet which makes it especially soothing. But for my purposes, which mainly means using it as a base for soups and grains, I change a few things, including omitting the salt and using less yams/sweet potatoes. According to James Beard vegetables contain their own natural sodium so it can be added afterward.

There is such a thing as a roasted vegetable stock. It will give you a darker, deeper more earthy flavor. For a Roasted Vegetable Stock to use say as a base for Onion Soup check out this recipe. Anna Thomas in The Vegetarian Epicure (which is a great cookbook and you can pick it up on Amazon for a couple bucks) has a recipe for Dark Vegetable Broth and an Assertive Broth in which she has you saute the vegies first. What we're going for here is a light broth to use as a base for everything from soups to grains to add light flavor and lots of nutrients.

Now, one of the things you're going to see in this recipe is kombu. Kombu is kelp, yep that's seaweed my friends or as we called it in chef school "sea vegetable" because weed is such an ugly word. The Kombu package says it's an "Edible Ocean Plant." Whatever it's called, I don't want you to skip this ingredient. You can find it in most stores (see picture) you've probably just never looked. I promise you that your stock will not taste all fishy.

Kombu or Kelp, is a brown seaweed very rich in iodine. It is high too in potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium and also contains a highly important level of trace elements such as zinc, copper and manganese. According to Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods, kombu greatly increases the nutritional value of all food prepared with it. It has a high mineral content. In beans, the minerals help balance the protein and oil and increase digestibility. Kombu softens masses (anti-tumor), it has an anti-coagulant effect on the blood, is a natural fungicide, relieves hormonal imbalances, cools and soothes lungs and throat, and relieves coughing and asthma to name just a few benefits!

Lastly, if you want to know more about the difference between Broth vs Stock here is a decent explanation.

Ingredients:
3 unpeeled carrots with green tops, rinse off any dirt, cut into large chunks
1 medium yellow onion, skins on but cut off dirty root, quarter
1 leek, white and light green parts, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed, then cut into chunks
4 stalks celery, with tops if you've got them, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, tossed in whole, skins and all
1/2 bunch Italian parsley
2 medium red potatoes, unpeeled but scrubbed clean, eyes removed, quartered
1 Garnet yam, skin on, quartered
1 3x2 inch strip of kombu, rinsed
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
4 whole juniper berries

Method:
Toss all ingredients into an 8 quart stock pot and cover with cold water to about 2 inches from the top of the pot. Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Remove lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the stock and let cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

A Gift for Someone Sick: Chicken Noodle Soup Two Ways

Is someone you know sick? Make them some chicken soup and they are bound to feel better.

I have 2 versions for you. In version number one I use vegetable broth as a base and add one chicken breast at the end. It is totally enough chicken, easy on the budget and the digestive tract. This is the easier and faster of the two recipes. In version two, I use a crock pot and an organic chicken carcass to create a chicken broth as the base for the soup. Homemade bone broth has extra nutritional benefit and if you have the time on a chilly weekend it's worth the effort.

You know how I love fresh herbs so pick up some fresh rosemary sprigs to toss into these soups. Rosemary contains several potent antioxidants and is known to reduce inflammatory responses, making it beneficial for those with rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, and atherosclerosis (the build up of plaque on the inside of blood vessels). Rosemary increases circulation, improves digestion, and stimulates the immune system making it a great addition to our Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

You'll also notice a "secret" ingredient: fresh ginger. It adds a warming touch to the soup which feels really nice on a scratchy throat, and it helps with nausea and gastrointestinal distress, and has antioxidant properties.

Version I (using only a chicken breast)

Ingredients:
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 quart water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp organic butter
1 boneless skinless organic chicken breast, sliced thin
1 inch piece of ginger, quartered (no need to peel)
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 leek, light green and white parts, halved lengthwise, washed and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2-3 sprigs of Rosemary(about 6 inches, more will overpower the soup)
1/2 package of good quality egg noodles
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat olive oil and butter in your soup pot over medium flame. Saute onion, leek, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes until the onion is clear (do not brown). Add the stock, water, and ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

Return to boil and drop in raw chicken slices and rosemary sprigs. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove ginger and rosemary. Add the green beans, egg noodles, and Italian parsley and cook for approximately 10 minutes until noodles are done. It the noodles absorb too much of the soup feel free to add more stock or water to get the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Version 2 (using, dare I say, a whole chicken carcass...mmm, special!)
Ingredients:
1 whole organic chicken
1 crock pot or large soup pot
Water to fill
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp organic butter
1 inch piece of ginger, quartered
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 leek, light green and white parts, halved lengthwise, washed and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2-3 sprigs of Rosemary (about 6 inches)
1/2 package of good quality egg noodles
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
So you've purchased an organic chicken to the tune of about $16.00 and you're thinking this better be worth it! Not to worry, you're going to get two meals from this bird. The first thing I want you to do is cut off the breast, legs and thighs. Those can be used in another dish right away or frozen to use later. I used mine in a pan roasted chicken with white wine, kalamata olives, garlic, and lemon. I'll post the recipe for this separately. If you're not ready to do the soup you can throw the carcass in the freezer until you need it. It should still have a nice amount of meat left on the bones.

I put the carcass in my crock pot and add water to cover the bones about half way. Cook for about 6 hours on high or until the bones pull apart gently and cleanly. Remove the bones with a slotted spoon or tongs, place on a deep plate or pan, then let cool to the touch. Separate the bones from the meat. You will be surprised by just how much meat you get. Yes, it's a lot of work but remember, you're doing a great thing by using the whole bird and you get both dark and white meat, which adds a great flavor. In addition, bone broth has great nutritional value. It contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in a form that the body can easily absorb. To read more about bone broths check out Sally Fallon's site.

Set your bowl of chicken aside and let's work with the broth for a minute. The first thing I do is use a ladle to put it in one of those separator measuring cups that allows you to remove some of the fat. The second thing I do is line a mesh strainer with cheese cloth and slowly pour the broth through it to remove anything left floating around (skin, bones and god knows what else). Now you should have a beautiful broth to work with.

Next heat the olive oil and butter in your soup pot over a medium flame. Saute onion, leek, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 8 minutes until the onion is clear (do not brown). Add the stock and ginger and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

Return to boil and add the cooked chicken and rosemary sprigs. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove ginger and rosemary. Add the green beans, egg noodles, and Italian parsley and cook for approximately 10 minutes until noodles are done. It the noodles absorb too much of the soup feel free to add more stock or water to get the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste and you're good to go.

Veg Medley w/Chard & Poached Eggs-Something different for Bkfst or Brunch

I created this recipe one weekend morning when I was in an "I don't know what I want" mood. I wanted something different, and as the odds and ends in the fridge began to fill the counter top this tasty dish emerged.

I used rainbow chard because I am just enamored by its colors. You'll want to remove that colorful stem which you can do either with a knife or by using your thumb and forefinger to strip the leaves off. Then put them in your salad spinner and give them a nice washing. Spin them dry, then just give them a rough chop.

Why throw chard in the mix? Look at its nutritional profile and you'll have your answer: It has carotenes, vitamins C, E, and K, fiber and chlorophyll. It is also an excellent source of minerals -- including magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese -- and B6, calcium, protein, thiamine, zinc, niacin, folic acid and selenium! With this profile chard is a particularly powerful anti-cancer food, especially of those that affect the digestive tract, such as colon cancer. The vitamin K provided by chard (388.9% of the daily value in 1 cup of cooked chard) is important for maintaining bone health.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, cut top to root, then into long quarter-inch strips
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed well with the back of your knife
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup of a variety of tomatoes, chopped (you can substitute 15 oz can of chopped organic tomatoes with juice)
1/2 cup frozen corn (I froze mine this summer so I'd have it on hand, but when corn is in season I use 1 ear, kernels removed from cob)
4 cups rainbow chard (1 bunch), stems removed, cleaned, spun dry and roughly chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp fresh oregano
1/2 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
thyme, 3 sprigs
lemon zest, 1 tsp
sea salt and ground pepper
3-4 fresh farm eggs

Directions:

• Heat 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and add olive oil. When hot, add onion slices and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and saute 2 more minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic.
• Add carrots and 1/4 cup of stock. Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer uncovered for about 6 minutes, until tomatoes begin to break down. Add another 1/4-1/2 cup of stock and the oregano, parsley, thyme and lemon zest. Stir to blend. Add corn, simmer for 3 minutes. Add chard and simmer until it wilts. Add salt and pepper. Mixture should not be dry, nor should it be a soup. There should be a tasty sauce developing with thin enough liquid to poach the eggs. If it needs more stock add that now. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  
• When you have a nice simmer going crack in the eggs and cover. Check after 3 minutes. Cook the eggs until the yolks are set to the consistency you like. Remove lid and sprinkle eggs with freshly ground pepper. Using a slotted spoon, scoop up an egg with a good helping of the underlying vegetables. Serve with corn tortillas or sprouted whole grain toast.