Broth’s Beneficence: Soup and Salad

Since coming to The Times Test Kitchen, I have taken on the task of making our weekly batch of chicken stock. Admittedly, making stock is not the most glamorous kitchen job, nor is it one that requires any outstanding culinary talent. Nonetheless, I take pride in it. There is nothing like a good pot of stock or broth to start out a recipe right.

Some weeks, I start with a whole chicken and make a broth. But when I have only leftover scraps and bones, I make a stock.

Stock, broth; broth, stock. What’s the difference? It’s just whether you use a whole chicken (broth) or chicken bones (stock). But for our purposes as home cooks, the difference is unimportant. Stock and broth can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

Although broth is a little more costly than stock to make, it has the advantage of giving you a whole cooked chicken as well as the makings for soup. In this menu, I used the broth to make a classic chicken, vegetable and noodle soup. The homemade broth gives the soup a rich flavor and, because all the fat is skimmed off the broth before starting, the result is a soup that’s very low in fat as well.

Then I used the chicken to make a roasted hazelnut and sage chicken salad. I served this savory salad on bread as a sandwich, but it would also be nice served on a bed of greens and garnished with fresh tomatoes.

What I like best about this menu is its versatility and simplicity. With a fresh pot of broth and a perfectly poached chicken on hand, the culinary possibilities are endless. And when you discover how easy it is to prepare, you won’t be without a fresh batch of stock or broth in your kitchen again.

Menu

Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup

Hazelnut-Sage Chicken Salad

STAPLES

Whole black peppercorns

Bay leaf

Salt

2 onions

1 lemon

Mayonnaise

Yellow mustard

3 cloves garlic

Salt, pepper

Parmesan cheese

SHOPPING LIST

1 (5- to 6-pound) chicken

1 bunch celery

4 carrots

3 large tomatoes

1 bunch parsley

1 (2 1/2-ounce) package hazelnuts

1 bunch chives

1 bunch sage

2 small zucchini

1 (1-pound) bag mostaccioli

1 bunch fresh basil

1 loaf rustic sourdough bread

GAME PLAN

Day before: Prepare chicken broth, reserve chicken and let strained broth refrigerate overnight.

1 1/2 hours before: Strain fat off broth. Cook pasta for soup and reserve. Prepare vegetables for soup.

1 hour before: Prepare soup. Prepare chicken salad.

Last minute: Spread chicken salad on bread.

CHICKEN BROTH

5 to 6 slightly crushed black peppercorns

1 to 2 sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf

1 (5- or 6-pound) chicken

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 stalk celery, including top, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

3 quarts water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Make sachet by wrapping peppercorns, parsley and bay leaf in small piece of cheesecloth and tying securely with string.

Rinse chicken. Remove giblets and discard or reserve for another use.

Place chicken, carrot, celery, onion and water in large stock pot. Add salt and cheesecloth sachet (if string on sachet is long enough, it may be tied to handle of pan to make removal easier). Cover pot and bring contents to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

When broth is done, remove from heat. Remove chicken and let cool until warm; refrigerate for another use.

Strain broth through colander lined with cheesecloth (or through chinois strainer, if available). Let broth cool to warm and then refrigerate until fat rises to top and hardens, several hours to overnight. Remove fat layer before using broth.

Makes 3 quarts.

Each 1/4 cup contains about:

21 calories; 81 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 0 carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.03 gram fiber.

HAZELNUT-SAGE CHICKEN SALAD

Smooth the chicken salad on a slice of rustic sourdough bread and serve as an open-faced sandwich. Or scoop the salad onto a bed of greens garnished with fresh tomatoes.

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/2 small onion, diced small

4 cups chicken from Chicken Broth recipe, skinned and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Place hazelnuts on baking sheet and roast at 325 degrees 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove hazelnuts from oven and place in kitchen towel. Rub vigorously in towel until brown outer skin comes off. When nuts are clean, place on work surface and chop into small pieces.

Combine hazelnuts, onion, chicken, celery, chives, sage, lemon juice, parsley, mayonnaise and mustard in large bowl and stir well to combine.

Makes 4 cups, about 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

273 calories; 271 mg sodium; 68 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 0.42 gram fiber.

CHICKEN VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP

PASTA

2 cups mostaccioli or other tube-shaped pasta

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add mostaccioli and cook until firm, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

SOUP

3 quarts fresh chicken broth or stock

3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 1/2 cups chopped carrots (about 3 carrots)

2 1/2 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 zucchini)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely sliced basil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Salt, pepper

Parmesan cheese, optional

Heat chicken broth in large stock pot. Add tomatoes, carrots, zucchini and garlic. Cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

When vegetables are tender, add pasta, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot in cups, topped with optional Parmesan.

Makes 14 cups or 12 servings.

Each serving contains about:

105 calories; 694 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.

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KITCHEN TIP

Peeling Tomatoes

Using a paring knife or other small sharp knife, remove the core of the tomato and make a small X on the bottom using the tip of the knife.

Place the tomato in boiling water for about 20 seconds or until you see skin start to peel off.

Remove from boiling water with slotted spoon and put directly into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking process.

Peel skin off tomato using a paring knife.

Cut tomatoes in half horizontally and squeeze seeds out gently.

Cut tomato according to recipe directions.