CORE RECIPES

BONE STOCK AND CORN CHOWDER

Superfoods are hot topics at the moment -  yet, I think that sometimes in our distraction for the quick boost, or quick fix, it's very easy to forget some very profound basics. 

I'd like to make the case that real food grown in or raised on foods from nutrient rich soils are all super foods in their own right. Notice that I using the word as an adjective - a describing word. Run the 2 words together and it suggests a whole new category of food (one that is usually very expensive), almost a superhero food. All of these real foods, grown or raised on foods from nutrient rich soils, carry the vast store of the nutrients we require to survive and run these amazing cellular machines we call our body. Proteins, fats (even saturated), carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients are all found in abundance in real food. I think the obsession with superfoods is simply another manifestation of our fractionalised approach to food. What I'd love to see is more people eating good food (you can read in more depth about what I think makes food 'good' or 'healthy' here) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Actually, I'd love to see more people eat breakfast, lunch or dinner and not exist on snacks all day long. I'd love to see people actually stop to eat and not eat on the run or in a rush. I'd love to see people relax while they eat and perhaps have a companion to share the time with, chat and laugh a bit. I'd love to see people enjoying their food and not worrying about the fat, the carbs, the protein, the phytonutrients of it, their blood type or if it's raw etc.  In short, I'd love to see us eat how we used to, when we had a strong food culture within Australia and we cared about the food we gave our children, and ourselves.
 

How about we do this instead?

1. Buy food grown in nutrient rich soil, without synthetic pesticides and sprays. This will be called lots of different things, but organic, bio dynamic are good places to start.
2. Cook and eat this nutrient rich food every day (and eat some raw).
3. Keep your food as close as possible to it's natural state - with as little that is edible taken away and as little that is inedible (additives) added back.
4. Eat a broad range of nutrient groups each day - don't just eat carbohydrates. 

But, if I had to choose a food that I think is most super - well, firstly, I would find it hard to choose between eggs (especially the yolks), animal bones and marrow, animal fat, fish and butterfat. And then I'd say, make bone stock, don't leave your home without knowing you have a stash in the freezer. Bone stocks have been used by just about all traditional cultures for nourishment and healing – the original nature doctor, Dr Vogel describes it’s use in Europe for healing; in New York, Chicken soup is known as Jewish Penicillin (it’s because chicken fat contains Palmitoleic Acid – a powerful immune boosting monounsaturated fat) and throughout Asia, fish stock is the restorer of Chi – life force (it’s also a rich source of iodine). This is why it's super:

1. Bone stock is an incredibly rich source of minerals  - especially calcium and trace elements pulled from bone, cartilage and vegetables as they cook, all in a bio – available form.
2. Bone stock 'spares' protein. This means that your body can make better use of the protein it eats. 
3. Bone stocks also has the superhero gelatine – this enables food to be digested more easily and is also exceptionally healing to the gut - as is the fat (cooking your grain in a bone stock makes it so much more digestible).
4. Bone stocks are great sources of glucosamine and chondroitin, used for healthy joints. In fact gelatine was the go to 'superfood' for healthy joints back in the 50's. 
5. Bone stocks are the original frugal food, giving you a lot of nourishment (and ability to eat minimal expensive protein) for very little money.

Those 'real' stocks you see advertised on tv? I've never seen one all wibbly and wobbly from gelatine. I also find them shallow and harsh in flavour, and expensive. Bone stocks are so easy to make, simply requiring a lovely big pot – and when using bones, some acid (such as wine or vinegar) to help draw all the gelatine and minerals from the bone. You can’t muck them up and they freeze brilliantly. You can find a massive amount of information on the internet about stocks at many of the traditional food sites. If you google around you will be in undated. 

I nearly forgot to tell you that this is a great time of the year to be making and liberally using chicken stock - boosting your immune system.

So, that soup above. Silky and shiny from the gelatine in the stock :) It's a cupboard love corn chowder, using what my fridge and garden had. Oh, and did you notice I used kale ? From my notes above you might think I hate it - I don't, I love it, but I love lots of other vegetables also. This is a wonderful way to use kale - serving it with fat (from the chicken stock) which will or help to ensure all those amazing minerals in kale are actually bio - available. And, you've cooked it, which breaks down the oxalic acid (kale is best cooked). Also when you look at my stock (up there in the pink jug) it's not that golden - it was a cupboard love stock after all, but when you use chickens raised on lots of wonderful green pasture, the fat will be quite yellow, reflecting the beta-carotenes in the grass. 

There's a fabulous recipe for corn chowder in Coming Home to Eat (oooh, good news, it's being re printed and should be available soon), but a quick version (let's face it, that's what we most often do). Before I start, just know you can add as much vegetable or stock as you like.  Add some ghee, chicken fat, olive or  coconut oil to the base of the pan, add diced potato (helps thicken it), I like pumpkin, leek or onion - you can see mine above, I also added a good handful of basil because I have tons. Pinch of salt. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then (you are developing a flavour base). Add the stock, and the corn cob (you've cut the corn kernels off it to add later), cook gently (don't boil madly) until those base vegetables are cooked. Add the lighter cooking vegetables - corn kernels, zucchini and kale. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes until they are just tender, add chopped basil. Taste and season as desired - I like a bit of fish sauce. If you would like (and I did) take some of the soup out and blend it (add it back) before adding the corn, etc. It makes a thicker broth. 

SIMPLE CHICKEN STOCK.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free

Makes about 2.5 litres

This was my 'cupboard love' stock - dregs of leek from the garden, bay leaves, celery, 2 frozen carcass and 2 feet. Still made enough for a great corn chowder and give me extra to freeze.

1. I absolutely have a preference for organic bones, but where I live I can't get organic feet, so choose free range feet from a butcher whose source (all free range are not equal, some are no better than the generic chicken).
2. You will get better gelatine using the more cartilaginous parts of the animal - feet, knuckles, joints, wings, hoof etc.
3. You will 'pull' more minerals from the bone in a lightly acidic liquid - use wine or vinegar.
4. Don't boil your stocks, just a blip, blip on the surface please.
5. Skim the foam and scum and discard.
6. If you'd like a stronger flavour (and darker colour) roast the bones (and vegetables if desired) first. This will also render out some of the fat - that fat is valuable, especially in the case of chicken. You might want to add it back. 
7. I prefer not to salt my stock, as I don't know how I will be using it.
8. If you are able to access the head, gizzards or heart, add those also. 
9. The longer you cook it, the better it will be. I generally have it on the stove top for 8 hours, then put it in a very low oven overnight (because I don't want to leave it on an open gas flame - wish I had a wood burning stove).

2 - 3 chicken carcasses

6  - 8 wings

6  - 8 feet

3 carrots, skin on, scrubbed and roughly chopped

3 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 onion, cut into quarters

4 thyme sprigs

4 bay leaves

4 parsley sprigs

2 sage leaves

sea salt and a 4 pepper corns

¼ (one quarter) cup white wine or 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Put all ingredients in a stock pot and cover with water – use approx 3 litres, though it really doesn’t matter, as the gelatine and minerals will leach into whatever water you have.

Bring to a very low boil  - seeing just a blip of bubbles indicating a very low boil. Cover  with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar and continue to cook at a very low simmer for as long as you are able – the longer you cook it, the better it will be – 6 – 24 hours. Skim off any scum as it forms.  Check from time to time the too much water has not evaporated off, if so add a little more. If you are leaving your stockpot on the stove overnight (as I do) placing it on a heat diffuser is a great way to know it’s on a very gentle heat.

Drain, and discard solids. Cool before freezing - best way is to put fill the sink with ice and cold water (but the more ice the better) and put the pot in. DON'T LEAVE THE STOCK SITTING OUT FOR HOURS TO COOL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM.