As a Personal Chef in New York, I can’t think of anything nicer to suggest to make for anyone than to have several soups stocked in your freezer. They are hearty, healthy, filling, and wonderful for either breakfast or to come home and simply warm up after a long day.
The following are recipes for my popular soups.
Chicken Stock
Is the gold and secrete behind any good soup……..The key is to be able to be home for the day so the stock can brew and get gelatinous. I usually buy about 2-3 lbs of chicken thighs or a family pack whatever is on sale. About 5 carrots chopped cleaned & not peeled, and 4 celery sticks cleaned and chopped including the leafy part, and then I add at least 3 Vidallia Sweet Onions leaving their skin on to add color to the soup stock. Both the onion and carrots add the sweetness to the stock…..And is so yummy.
I put the chicken and vegetables in a large pasta pot or whatever you have and barely cover with water alittle higher than the contents. When it just comes to a boil , I simmer it and scrape off any of the fat and discard…..And then put a top on half way so all does not get reduced……….I will let this simmer at least 3 hours or more so it’s a rich savory stock.
If you try this at home you will not believe the comforting aromas that perfume your house. It is a timeless smell. Once you cool your stock oh maybe 15 minutes or so then dish out all the vegetables and chicken and discard . Then put a mesh strainer in a large bowl and strain the stock. Mostly I do this twice so their is a beautiful and clear but rich colored stock. At this point you can decide if you are going to either make a soup right away or might prefer to freeze the stock.
Freezing Stock:
Two ways to Freeze your Stock: One is I like to put it in several ziplock freezer bags maybe enough to make two soups. Secondly, If you like to make your own sauces, it’s wonderful to pour the stock in several ice cube trays. Once frozen be sure the next day to empty in a Freezer ziplock bag so don’t get freezer burn. There is nothing more wonderful than to be able to grab a hand-full chicken stock cubes when deglazing your pan……It makes all the difference to a beautiful sauce.
