Beef stock from scratch

OK, so it probably doesn't really save any money over canned broth or cartons of broth or even the super concentrated broth you can buy in jars (which is actually quite respectable, beef being the first ingredient listed). But it is superior, so if you're making something where the broth is a key ingredient, think about making your own.

Start with soup or neck bones. Wipe them with a clean, damp cloth and put them in a roasting pan. Cut an onion or two in quarters and scatter over the bones. Cut two carrots and two stalks of celery into 3-4 pieces each and scatter those as well. Place your roasting pan in a 400 degree oven until the bones are nicely browned.

Place the bones in a stock pot, along with the onions, carrots, and celery. Cover with cold water. Add a few peppercorns, a spring or two of parsley, a bay leaf, and 2-3 whole cloves. Set stock pot on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cover with lid at an angle so a little steam escapes and lower heat so that stock just barely simmers beneath the surface. A rolling boil here is exactly what you DON'T want. It produces a bitter, cloudy broth. A gentle simmer will give you clear, flavorful broth. Let it simmer for at least 4 hours--6-8 is even better. When the meat is completely falling off the bone and has had every last smidgen of flavor cooked out of it, your stock is done. (Resist the temptation to do something with the meat--you'll just waste whatever ingredients you put with it because it is absolutely tasteless.)

Let the stock cool briefly and then strain it into a container that you can refrigerate. (You can save a few of the bones for your pet, but again, they don't have much flavor.) Let it cool 30 minutes or so and then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. The fat will rise to the top and harden, making it very easy to remove.

If you want to use this as a clear broth, strain it again through several layers of rinsed cheesecloth. It will lose a little bit of its flavor so only do this if it is absolutely necessary.

I often take the finished broth and freeze it in smaller containers to pull out and add to soups or gravies. But give it a starring role in French Onion Soup at least once, so you can really appreciate the difference!

NOTE: I never add salt when making broth. Since I don't know for sure what I will be doing with it, i.e., will I be using it in a sauce that is significantly reduced, it's best to salt it in the final stages of whatever it ends up in.

It started with two sausages...

For some unexplainable reason, I found in the freezer a solitary Italian sausage (mild). A little deeper, a came across another lone sausage--a smoked beef sausage. Hmmm...

Soup is my favorite answer to many a leftover question. Looking in the fridge and pantry, I found about half a bunch of kale left from another dish that had about two good days left before it would be destined for the compost bin.

Thinking about variations on French potage and the Portuguese "caldo verde" I set to work.

All good soups start with that flavor triumvirate: onion, carrot, and celery. I sauteed these, along with that Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled, until the vegetables were soft and the meat was no longer pink. To this I added about 5 cups of chicken broth and three potatoes, cut into fairly large dice. I let this all simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes were tender. I then added the kale, which I had finely shredded and let it cook for 10 minutes or so. Lastly, I added the smoked sausage (already fully cooked), which I had diced roughly.

At this point, my soup was ready to eat and at its loveliest--the kale still a beautiful, vibrant green. But continued gentle simmering ended with a soup that while not as lovely, was certainly delicious. A little heavy cream added at the end elevated this soup into something really special.

Having now lunched on the leftovers of this soup for two days, I have just enough for something else: With roughly two cups of soup left, I've pureed it in the blender and thinned it with a bit of milk. It will be our first course tonight for dinner. (Second course currently unknown!) I will heat it, but it could easily be served cold, as it is reminiscent of Vichyssoise. (Note on adding milk to soups: heat them just until hot enough to serve--don't boil or it could separate.)

What my mother called "Spanish Rice"

This is a dish from my childhood. I'm sure it probably comes from an Americanized 1950's version of paella, although other than being rice, it bears little resemblance. Doesn't mean it isn't good comfort food....

I started with about 1 1/2 cups of leftover rotisserie chicken. I also had about 2-3 cups of broth from the carcass of same. I started the dish with 4 slices of bacon which I cooked in a 4 qt casserole/stockpot. After the bacon was cooked, I removed the bacon but left most of the drippings in the pan. I added a chopped onion to this and sauteed until the onion was translucent. I chopped the bacon and added it back in, along with 1 1/2 cups of medium grain rice. (You could use long grain, but the result will be different--more separate, less risotto-like.) Then I added a regular can of tomato sauce and a cup or so of the chicken broth. I covered the pan and reduced the heat to low and let it simmer. Like when preparing risotto, I stirred frequently and added more broth as it seemed to need it. When the rice was tender and most of the liquid was absorbed, I added the leftover chicken. I really like the smokiness the bacon adds to this dish, so I added a little smoked paprika at the end. My husband likes spice and salt, so he sprinkled his with Tony's.

It isn't a company meal by any stretch, but with a simple green salad, it's a nice dinner and something to do with leftover chicken.

(Actually, I don't think my mother ever added chicken to it. It was basically just rice, onion, bacon, and tomato sauce. Don't underestimate simple!)

Wine note: We enjoyed a glass of what is fast becoming my favorite wine: a 2001 Old Vines Tempranillo from the vintner Navarro & Lopez, which we find at our local Costco...