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      Stock at a gentle simmer

      The cooled stock will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

      Stock also freezes very well. I use plastic containers such as spotlessly clean yoghurt tubs or milk containers for this purpose. Make sure the stock is cold before decanting it into plastic containers.

      The frozen stock will still be fine and safe to use after 6 months, but as always with the freezer, the sooner something comes out, the better it will be.

      A richer and darker-flavoured stock is obtained by roasting the raw or cooked chicken bones to a rich golden colour before making the stock. Therefore in the case of the cooked bones from a roast, they will be twice-roasted. Lovely. I call this Roast chicken stock. This stock is used for darker sauces and to accompany the more robustly flavoured meats such as beef and venison.

      The degreased stock can be reduced by as much as three-quarters, or more if you wish, to achieve a deeply flavoured ‘chicken glaze’. The more you reduce or boil it down, the more concentrated the flavour will be. This liquid when chilled will set to a rubber jelly, and in this case you have just made your own stock cube. Bravo. This can then be stored in a covered container in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 3 months, and can also be frozen. You can cut it or tear it into manageable pieces, and these little lozenges of concentrated chicken flavour can be used as they are to perk up a dull gravy or soup, or diluted to taste with boiling water to reconstitute a stock.

Chicken stock

      Makes 3 litres 2–3 raw or cooked chicken carcasses, or a mixture of both

      3.4 litres cold water (approx.)

      2 onions, peeled and sliced

      1 leek, split in two

      1 outside stick of celery or 1 lovage leaf

      2 carrots, scrubbed and sliced

      A few parsley stalks

      1 large sprig of thyme

      1 small bay leaf

      6 black peppercorns

      Chop or break up the carcasses as much as possible. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan that they fit into snugly. The water should just cover them. Bring slowly up to the boil and skim the fat off the top with a tablespoon. Simmer uncovered and very gently for 2–3 hours.

      Allow the stock to sit for 20 minutes before straining to allow any loose particles of meat or vegetables to fall to the bottom of the saucepan. Strain and remove any remaining fat. If you need a stronger flavour, boil down the strained and degreased liquid in an open pan to reduce by one-third or one-half the volume. Do not add salt.

      Roast chicken stock

      Roast the raw or cooked bones or carcasses in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas 4, for approximately 30 minutes, or until they have attained a rich golden colour, then proceed with the recipe as above.

      Broth with spinach or chard leaves and herbs

      The object of the exercise here is a light yet flavoursome broth, spiked with the best greens each season has to offer. The secret of success is in the late addition of the green or defining ingredients to the broth. There is a bit to do, though, before that stage is reached. Dice the onion and potatoes neatly, remembering that they will be clearly visible in the finished broth, and cook them very gently so that they do not collapse before the stock is added. The broth should never boil rapidly, just stay at a gentle simmer, and crucially the saucepan lid stays off once the greens go in.

      The ingredients

      Spinach or chard leaves are the principal green ingredient here. The fresher they are, the more vibrant and delicious the broth will be. The stalks from the greens are finely diced and sweated with the potatoes and onions. If you choose baby spinach leaves, there is no need to destalk. Just add the whole lot at the end of cooking as directed and they will melt to a silky comforting consistency.

      The butter can be replaced with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil.

      The herbs will taste better and fresher if they are chopped just before you add them to the broth.

      As always, the addition of salt and pepper are crucial here, so taste carefully and season accordingly.

      Serves 4–6 50g butter

      175g potatoes, peeled and cut into neat 1cm dice

      175g onions, peeled and finely chopped into 5mm dice

      400g spinach or chard leaves, or 600ml when pressed into a measuring jug, stalks cut into 1cm dice, leaves gently torn into bite-sized pieces

      2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste

      Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

      1.2 litres chicken stock

      100ml chopped herbs: a mixture of parsley, chives and marjoram

      Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and allow to foam. Add the potatoes, onions, diced spinach or chard stalks and garlic. Use a wooden spoon to coat the vegetables in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper or greaseproof paper and a tight-fitting lid. Cook on a very low heat to allow the vegetables to sweat gently until barely tender. This will take about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook and allow the diced potato to collapse.

      Add the stock, stir gently and bring to a simmer, and cook for a further 10 minutes. The broth should be barely bubbling. If it cooks too fast at this stage, the delicacy of flavour of the chicken stock will be lost. By now the potato and onion should be completely tender but still holding their shape. Taste and correct the seasoning. This is the base and can be put aside until later.

      To finish the broth, bring the base back to a simmer. Add the greens and cook uncovered, allowing the greens to wilt and

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