Nothing beats homemade chicken stock. Especially if you are making it with the carcass of that roasted chicken or roast turkey.

The stock will keep well in the fridge for a few weeks in an airtight container (Ziploc containers are good!) or frozen in freezer bags.

This was something I learned to make watching Emeril Lagasse on Food Network or was it TLC? Instead of using a bouquet garni (fresh parsley, thyme, bay leaves) I have simply used what I have fresh in my fridge and what I like to keep in stock of the dried. Fresh bay leaves are not sold in the supermarkets here. The local supermarket near home caters to Asian cooking and not Western, so I don’t always have access to fresh herbs that are reasonably priced or last more than 2-3 days.

Ingredients: makes about 2-3 cups of chicken stock

• 1 chicken carcass
• 1 medium size onion, quartered with skin on
• 1 stalk celery, washed & cut into big chunks
• 1 carrot, washed & cut into big chunks, skin on
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 big sprig of fresh parsley

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a stock pot or a pot big enough to contain all the ingredients.
• Add enough water to cover the ingredients completely.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and boil for about 30 minutes.
• Leave to cool, discard all the ingredients.
• Drain the stock into an air-tight container or freezer bags if freezing.
• Keep in fridge when the stock is completely cool or place in freezer.