February 3, 2015 - Radio Kitchen - Sally Fallon "Nourishing Broth"
Last autumn I had the pleasure of meeting one of Maryland's most successful cookbook authors, Sally Fallon. We got to talking about her latest project, a cookbook called "Nourishing Broth," and it seemed like a natural topic for our show. We've talked about the importance of good broths and stocks for cooking, so it was nice to have an expert on hand.
Stock, which is the basic liquid made from vegetables, bones and scraps of meat differs from broth, which has salt and seasonings added. But once you have some whipped up, they are used pretty much in the same way. A chef like Jerry will tell you that broths are the basis of cooking. Everything from soups to sauces to demi-glaces start with stock.
"Nourishing Broth," as the name of her book implies, believes in the great health benefits of broth. The secret is in the bones and the cartilage in particular. This wonderful substance, which appears in many different tissues in the human body, is the thing that makes the broths so good for us, since the stuff from chicken bones works just fine in our bodies.
Here is Sally's basic stock recipe:
Simple Slow Cooker Stock
A bunch of chicken bones, about 6 cups
2 chicken feet or one piece split pig's foot (available from your butcher)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 tbs vinegar
cold filtered water
1. Place the bones in a large stock pot. Add the feet and onion to the pot, then add the vinegar and enough cold filtered water to cover the bones. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 12 hours, checking occasionally to ensure that the bones remain covered with water, add more when necessary.
2. Remove the bones. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a 2 quart Pyrex measuring bowl or a large heatproof bowl.
3. If you're not using it right away let it cool then refrigerate. You may want to skim off the fat that will rise to the surface.
And here is Sally's recipe for a butternut squash soup that uses her stock:
Moroccan Style Butternut Squash Soup
1 large butternut squash
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
12 tsp ground cumin
tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 scant tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
1 medium tart apple, cored, peeled and chopped
1 quart homemade chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
5 or 6 green onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, remove the seeds and place face down on an oiled baking pan. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Scoop out and discard the seeds, and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Set aside.
2. heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and apple and sauté for about 3 seconds, until aromatic. Add the squash and broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, let the soup cool slightly, and then puree it with a submersible blender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a bit of green onion and cilantro.
