Today's Tip
The French do not throw away bones. Every carcass, vegetable trim, and herb stem goes into a stockpot with cold water and a slow simmer. Stock is not a project. It is a background activity that runs while you do other things.
Try This
After your next roast chicken, break the carcass into pieces and cover with cold water. Add a carrot, celery stalk, and half an onion. Bring to a bare simmer, skim the foam once, and let it run for two hours. Strain and refrigerate. You now have what French cooks call "fond de volaille" — the base for the next five meals.
French chefs skim stock obsessively in the first 20 minutes. The grey foam that rises is coagulated protein and blood — it makes stock cloudy and adds bitterness if left. After the first skim, the stock clarifies itself. Never boil stock vigorously; a rolling boil emulsifies fat into the liquid and you cannot get it back out. Bare simmer only: a few lazy bubbles at the surface is correct.
One French lifestyle tip, every morning at 7am. Free — always.