Chicken broth

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 4 stalks of thyme
• 4 stalks of parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion(s)
• 200 g carrot(s)
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 200 g celeriac
• 200 g parsley root(s)
• 1 soup chicken, approx. 2 kg
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 4 juniper berries
• Salt
• possibly vermicelli, peas and diced vegetables for serving

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes

Tie the thyme, parsley, and bay leaves together with kitchen string to create a bouquet garni. Halve the onion and roast the cut sides in an uncoated pan lined with aluminum foil until dark brown. Trim the carrots, leeks, celery, and parsley roots and cut into large cubes. Place the chicken in a very large pot with the prepared ingredients, pepper, cloves, juniper berries, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 6 liters of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat with the lid partially on for about 3 hours. Skim any rising solids with a slotted spoon. Remove the chicken from the broth and let cool slightly. Remove the skin if desired, remove the chicken from the bones, chop into small pieces, and cover and set aside. It will be a bit dry, but too good to throw away. Pour the broth through a fine sieve into another pot and discard the contents. Season the broth with salt to taste. Let it stand for a moment so that the fat collects on the surface. Skim off the fat from the surface. Or let the broth cool down and then remove the layer of fat that has solidified. Cook noodles and vegetables in the broth, if desired. Serve the soup with the chicken. Anne’s extra tips: • Stock in advance: Pass the broth through a sieve and, without the meat and vegetables, fill very clean screw-top jars while it is boiling hot and to the brim, then close tightly immediately. Once cooled, store in the refrigerator. It will keep for at least 6 months. Or let the broth cool down and freeze in portions. • If you need something quicker, cook the broth with 2 kg of chicken drumsticks. This reduces the cooking time to 1.5 hours. In a pressure cooker, the broth is ready in just 35 minutes.