Chicken Stock

Obviously a recipe required for the Pho Gá, but so much more useful than just for that. This chicken stock is handy whether on a cold winters night, you're feeling sick or even recovering in the hospital from giving birth to twins.
This simple yet tasty stock will amaze you at just how easy it is to make, so much so you will wonder why you have been wasting money at the grocery store buying that rubbish they serve the masses.
Oh and feel free to experiment with "secret" ingredients, like octopus, prawns and whatever else, as it can make it that little bit different and special.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 hours

Ingredients

• 3.15kg bony chicken parts (necks, wings, back)
• 1 large onion, unpeeled
• 7.5cm piece fresh ginger, unpeeled
• 45g light brown palm sugar
• 1.5 tbsp sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Place onion and ginger in a roasting tin and roast for about an hour, until onion is soft and beginning to ooze. Remove from the oven and let the onion and ginger cool. Peel the onion and cut in half. Slice the unpeeled ginger into coins about 5mm thick.
2. While the onion and ginger are roasting, blanch the chicken bones: To ensure the pan is large enough to blanch the bones without boiling over, put the bones in the pan and add water to cover by 2.5cm. Remove the bones, set aside, and bring the water to the boil. When water is at a rolling boil, add the bones, return the water to boil and leave for 3 minutes. Drain the bones into a colander and rinse under cold running water. Rinse the pan and return the rinsed bones to the pan.
3. Add the onion halves, ginger slices, salt, sugar and 8 litres of fresh water to the pan and bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface. Lower the heat so the liquid is at a gentle simmer and allow to simmer for 4 hours, skimming as need to remove any scum from the surface.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a spider strainer or a slotted spoon, remove and discard the large solids. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large container, let sit for a few minutes (or overnight), then skim most of the fat from the surface (leave some, your mouth will thank you). Season to taste with salt.
5. Use immediately, or let cool completely, then transfer to containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.