STOCK
Drum roll please.....
The other main staple on our cleanse is stock. Yes, stock.
I've been meaning to put this recipe up since I started my blog(almost a year ago)and in that time I’ve made it more times than I care to remember.
Whether our family is cleansing or not, we live on this 24/7.I swear it’s because of my stock that my kids never, and I mean never get sick!
It is really easy to make, just a little time consuming because you’ll need to be around the house.
Mine varies from time to time with the bones I get,or the vegetables,depending on what season it is.
You need to invest in a massive stock pot if you’re going to do this on a regular basis – I have a 15litre and a 24litre(I know a little nuts — but I’m a serious stock maker)
*I’m sure I don’t have to state that all your Bones and Veg should be Organic or Bio-dynamic.
Usually I get (remembering my pot is massive)
5 chicken frames – I ask my butcher to chop them up,2kg of wings and 1kg of chicken necks and a couple of kilo’s of meaty beef bones.
5 chicken frames – I ask my butcher to chop them up,2kg of wings and 1kg of chicken necks and a couple of kilo’s of meaty beef bones.
Of, course you’ll have to adjust the quantity’s to fit your pot.
You could also make just a chicken stock or just a beef stock. I like them both together.
You could also make just a chicken stock or just a beef stock. I like them both together.
You’ll need:
First day:
Chicken frames, Chicken necks (if you can get them – I have to order ahead of time for these)
Meaty beef bones or a cheap cut of beef with marrow (Osso bucco)
and
Wings and legs (I buy what ever is on special)
or
A whole chicken (if you want the meat for sandwiches)
Or both if your pots big enough
I use both.
I use both.
Vegetables:
Second day:
1-2kg juicing carrots — peeled and cleaned – I use a lot of carrots as it adds sweetness to my stock which the kids like
1 green capsicum — deseeded
½ a bunch of celery — leaves and all1 bunch of parsley — washed well
½ a bunch of celery — leaves and all1 bunch of parsley — washed well
2 parsnips (when in season) — peeled
1 large onion — cut in half skin left on
4 bay leaves — depending on your pot size
1 whole garlic bulb — cut in half skin left on
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
and Himalayan sea-salt to taste (you'll need quite a lot)
and Himalayan sea-salt to taste (you'll need quite a lot)
This is a good opportunity to buy vegies that have been marked down at your local organic store, after all you will cook all the taste out of them
To start:
1st Day
Roast your beef bones in a really hot oven for about 15-20 min — salt them well
Whilst this is happening, wash your chicken under cold water and after pop it in your pot.
Fill with water so it’s roughly 5cm from the top of the pot
Add the bay leaves and peppercorns - Put your beef bones in once they are golden
Turn the heat on full and wait for it to come to a simmer
At this point it will be kind of foaming on top, this is the impurities coming to the surface. You need to remove these with a metal spoon or ladle
Now turn the heat to low add the garlic and onion and simmer all day – I would put my stock on at 10am and turn it off just before I go to bed around 11pm.
Buy this stage it will be a rich golden colour.Let it cool down over night (this is dependent on your pot size again, my pot is still very hot in the morning)
2nd day
Remove all the bones and meat from the stock – I do this with these devices.
Now add your cleaned prepared veg (I chop up the carrots and celery roughly)
Turn the heat back on and bring back up to a simmer and cook for the day.
Leave again to cool over night.
3rd Day
Remove the veg the same way as the bones and then strain the liquid gold (stock) through a sieve lined with muslin (this is not necessary, it just helps to remove excess fat) I use old muslin's that I used to wrap my babies in — then wash and use again.
3rd Day
Remove the veg the same way as the bones and then strain the liquid gold (stock) through a sieve lined with muslin (this is not necessary, it just helps to remove excess fat) I use old muslin's that I used to wrap my babies in — then wash and use again.
Store the soup in glass pyrex containers in all different sizes — let cool completely and freeze.
My little tips with stock:
The sign of a good stock is one that is very gelatinous when cold.
The sign of a good stock is one that is very gelatinous when cold.
If you only use plastic to store your soup in the freezer — remember make sure its cool or the plastic will leach chemicals into your soup.
Never, ever leave your stock on and leave the house without anyone home — this soup is like molten lava and I'd be nervous of starting a fire — turn it off, then when you get home turn it back on.
Never defrost soup and then cook with it (in a stew or something else)and re-freeze.
Always bring your stock back to the boil before eating.
And remember soup like this is scolding hot make sure you cool it down significantly before giving it to small kids – I pop an ice-cube into Wilco’s
As I said earlier, we live on this……
Jemima loves it with Matzo balls and cooked carrot or tiny chicken polpetti.
Frank likes it plain straight up in a mug with little baby pasta or rice — she also likes raw carrots cut up really small on the side so she can add as she likes.
Wilco loves it in everything, I use the evaporation method with his rice and pasta, he’ll have it in a mug, I use it in everything I cook for him and he LOVES the cooked carrot.
P.S I am happy to report that I passed my test(wee test, that is) crystal clear.
2 weeks of Cleansing.
I almost jumped through the ceiling (I think Anthia was shocked that I'd passed too!) This means I have rid my gut of all the nasty things and now it's time to re-seed.
Did I tell you I feel amazing?
©Michelle Schoeps 2013
All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps
