Well, the shoe had to drop sooner or later. After having a wonderful summer and an even better fall (in regard to food), I have noticed that my favourite jeans are starting to look like floods. This hit me hard, harder than any other red flags, because of the "exact nature" of those jeans. I don't want to wear short jeans that are supposed to be long. End of story.
I really don't wish to get into all the personal details of my life here on the blog (Since when??? I can hear my sister's voice ringing in my ears.) but let's just say that I am trying to follow a 21-day Holistic Detox. If you are interested, check out the book "Dr. Joshi's Holistic Detox". This cleanse is not only to shed a few pounds. This will give me more energy and help me to feel better in all sorts of ways.
I actually tried this same detox two summers ago. I lasted 7 days and I really felt good. Then we went to Harrow and the wheels on that bus came off in no time flat. This time, I am feeling more confident. I am 35 now, and with that distinction, I am feeling strong and ready for a challenge. How hard can this be with an arsenal of cookbooks to give me inspiration?
Well, here's the first problem. I only like to blog about recipes that I LOVE. I don't want anything half-ass on this blog. If I don't love it and think you will too, I don't want it on here. I have been cooking up a storm the last four days and to be honest, there isn't too much that is blog-worthy. Not yet, anyways, but I will soldier on. I am determined to find some fabulous recipes that fit the bill, both for the Holistic Detox and for after it's over, when I go back to eating everything, in moderation!
I have been making a few things of interest...
Barefoot Contessa's White Bean Soup with Fresh Rosemary
Bonnie Stern's Thai Carrot & Ginger Soup
Caramelized onions with brown rice
Roasted carrots, parsnips, red onion and sweet potatoes
Broiled salmon, chicken stir-fry
Chick-pea and Carrot Salad (see blog for recipe)
The one thing that I seem to be using a lot of is my homemade chicken stock. There are few other staples in the kitchen that I think are as essential as a good chicken stock. It's right up there with onions and garlic.
Homemade Chicken Stock
1 carcass from a roasted chicken, plus all the drippings from the pan
2 carrots, chopped roughly
3 onions, skins on, sliced in half
2 celery stalks, chopped roughly
5 or more sprigs of fresh parsley
5 whole peppercorns
Salt, optional (I don't season my stock ahead of time but feel free to do so. I do all the seasoning when I am using the stock in a recipe.)
Put all the ingredients into a large stock pot and fill not quite to the top with water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium-low for a minimum of three hours. Skim any foamy clumps out of the stock. When the stock has cooled down to a temperature that is safe to handle, strain it through a fine sieve and pour into portion containers for the freezer. I use 2-cup and 4-cup plastic containers that I buy at a restaurant supply store. I use these over and over again and they are very handy for all food storage.
*When I use a carcass from a roasted chicken, the stock is always a rich dark colour and when it has cooled, it will have a gelatinous texture. There is so much more flavour in a stock done with roasted bones/carcass and you get the bonus of having a great dinner, too!
*When I make my stock with a carcass like this, I won't be starting it until after dinner. I simmer the stock until I am ready for bed and then turn it off. I leave the stock to sit overnight and in the morning, I either strain it right away and get it into the freezer (if it is still warm from the night before), or I reheat the stock and let it come to a boil again. Then I let it cool down again and strain it after that. This wouldn't be appropriate in a professional kitchen but it works for me. In large kitchens, stocks are often left in the huge stock pots simmering away all night (these are electric stock pots I am talking about) and then dealt with in the morning.
*If you aren't going to be having roast chicken and you would still like to make a good stock, stockpile some chicken bones and parts. I buy whole chickens from the butcher and ask him to cut up the chickens for me. I always take the backs and wings home for stock and stick them in the freezer until I am ready to make stock. I also keep any bones that I may have from de-boning pieces of chicken.
*The key to having a flavourful and rich stock is in the roasting of the bones before putting them in the water. I spread all of the bones and parts that I have collected onto a baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. If I have space on the baking sheet, I also add my carrots, onions, and celery. By the way, a rough estimate of how much of the veggies to use is a simple ratio: 2 parts onions, 1 part each of carrots and celery. That way you can eyeball it without getting caught up in specific amounts.
With a little bit of effort, you can have a freezer filled with ready-to-go chicken stock. A stocked and organized freezer- now that is a beautiful thing!
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