by Amber Rose
Make broth a part of your routine.
In recent years I have made broth in my household more and more. It has now become part of my weekly routine. I usually buy a chicken to roast at least once a week and it always gets turned into a broth. Sometimes I buy chicken carcasses from my local organic supplier, and use them when I don’t want the whole chicken. I love having a couple of jars of broth in the freezer for meal emergencies; when the fridge is bare you can easily whip up a quick dinner with some broth by adding the odd leftover bit of veg or a poached egg. Another reason for keeping broth in the fridge is for when you find yourself really hungry and don’t have time to cook – simply heat up a cup of broth. It is so satisfying and will put an immediate stop to any sugar cravings.
Other uses for broth.
A great way of making grains and pseudo-cereals more digestible, aside from soaking them, is to cook them in broth. I often cook rice and quinoa in broth for my son. He loves the added flavour boost and they are gentler on his digestive system cooked this way, not to mention all the extra nutrients… win win.
Beef or lamb bone broth.
MAKES ABOUT 4 LITRES
Beef or lamb broth is super tasty and full of goodness. It’s richer than chicken broth and fuller in flavour. Roasting the bones first really brings out the deep flavours of the beef and lamb. This wonderful broth is essential if you’re making any sort of beef or shepherd’s pie. Just reduce the broth down to get a more concentrated flavour.
1kg beef or lamb bones (use bones with plenty of cartilage on them)
Filtered or spring water (about 3–4 litres, enough to cover the bones)
1 celery stick, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium onions, quartered
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
A small bunch of parsley
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
A small knob of ginger, peeled (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.
Lay the bones on an oven tray and roast for about 30 minutes, or until just browning.
Transfer them to a large stock pot and cover with water. Place the pot over a high heat and slowly bring to the boil. Watch the pot very carefully as it comes to the boil, scooping off the scum that forms on the surface. Once the water is about to boil and no more scum is forming, add the rest of the ingredients (no salt!) and bring back to the boil, then quickly transfer to the smallest ring. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer very gently, keeping the pot covered with a tight-fitting lid. The longer you cook the broth, the more nutritional benefits you gain: I cook mine for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours sometimes, adding a little water as needed. If you’re cooking this for a long time it’s best to do it in the oven – that way it won’t dry out. Simply transfer everything to an ovenproof pot with a lid and put in the oven at 100°C/80°C fan/gas mark ¼ and cook for as long as you need.
Remove the bones and allow the broth to cool before transferring it to the fridge or freezer. When you are ready to use the broth, either strain it through a fine-mesh strainer or reheat and drink it with the lovely veg that have been cooked with it. Enjoy.
Vegetable broth/stock.
MAKES ABOUT 3 LITRES
Vegetable stock is really very easy to make and tastes delicious. It’s wonderful as a hot drink but also as a base for risotto, soups, stews, casseroles, pies and so much more. You could use this stock in place of chicken stocks in other recipes. My recipe is deliberately quite neutral in flavour, which makes it incredibly versatile, but feel free to add any of the suggested optional extras for additional flavour.
3 onions, unpeeled, washed and quartered
6 carrots, washed and roughly chopped (peel if not organic)
4 celery sticks, washed and chopped or sliced (leaves too, if liked)
6 thyme sprigs
4 bay leaves
A large handful of parsley, stalks included
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, lightly bashed
Filtered or spring water (enough to cover)
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Leftover organic veg peelings from the kitchen
Leeks
Fennel
Lemons
Tomatoes
Mushrooms, including the stems (can be dried mushrooms)
Parsnips
Dried or fresh herbs such as oregano, rosemary, dill and marjoram
Place the onions on a flat baking tray under a hot grill and scorch until the flesh and the skins catch a little – you want a light bit of burn on the edges. Remove from under the grill and add to a large stockpot. (You can also do this in a hot pan with a little ghee.) Lightly burning the onions adds an immense amount of flavour to the finished vegetable stock.
Add the other vegetables, herbs and peppercorns (no salt!) to the pot, cover with water and place over a high heat. When it comes to the boil, skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 1 hour. Remove all the vegetables and herbs with a pair of tongs, then pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
Decant the stock into glass jars and transfer to the fridge when cool. The stock will keep for several days in the fridge.
Breakfast broth with poached eggs, kale and sauerkraut.
ENOUGH FOR 2–3
This is one of the most nourishing, restorative breakfasts you could possibly have, which also happens to be absolutely satisfying and delicious. Many cultures have savoury breakfasts as a staple and it’s a great habit to get into as a way of cutting down on the sugary start to the day that has become all too common.
1 litre homemade chicken broth (or lamb/beef or fish)
2 handfuls of kale, stalks removed and chopped (or other leafy green of your choice)
2 or 3 eggs (or 6, if you would like 2 each)
1 teaspoon virgin raw coconut oil (optional but very good for digestion and skin)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley or coriander
4 tablespoons sauerkraut, (my favourite is the spicy red cabbage sauerkraut)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring the broth to a gentle boil in a medium but wide saucepan. Add the kale, then gently lower in the eggs to poach in the simmering broth. Remove from the heat when the whites have cooked but the yolks are still very soft.
Season with sea salt and black pepper and spoon into waiting bowls. Add the coconut oil, if using, ½ teaspoon or a little more per bowl, sprinkle over the parsley, and then spoon in the sauerkraut and a little of the juice, too.
Drink, eat, slurp and enjoy an amazing start to the day.
Anti-inflammatory coconut, ginger and turmeric soup.
SERVES 3–4
This heavenly bowl of goodness really is a delicious way to nourish yourself when you are under the weather, or just feeling depleted, exhausted and over-tired. Any recipe prepared with broth provides nourishment but the ingredients in this soup give added benefit if you are feeling poorly or need some TLC. This is a perfect bowl of warming goodness for those rainy and cold wintry days when sustenance of the highest order is completely necessary. I like to have extra bone broth frozen in batches in the freezer so when I need to make up a batch of this life-saver, it’s super easy and only takes minutes to make.
1 litre homemade chicken broth or my veg broth
400ml full-fat coconut milk
A knob of fresh ginger, peeled and very finely sliced
½ teaspoon ground turmeric or a knob of fresh turmeric, finely sliced
Juice of ½–1 lemon (add desired amount)
¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes or cayenne pepper
A small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons raw virgin coconut oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredie
nts, except for the coriander and coconut oil, into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5–10 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Season with sea salt and plenty of black pepper, sprinkle over the coriander and spoon in the coconut oil. Taste and add more lemon juice if you like, and serve.
Tip: Do be generous with the black pepper as it’s been proved that the piperine contained in pepper helps the main potent active ingredient (curcumin) in turmeric to be fully absorbed by the body during digestion. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and has been proved highly effective in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases.
A classic fish stock.
MAKES ABOUT 2 LITRES
This stock is great for using as a base for fish soups and stews or smoked fish pies. You can also drink it as a broth. Fish broth is the most nourishing of all the broths and contains many trace minerals that support immune function. Just be sure only to use white fish; oily fish are no good for making broth as the delicate fish oils can become rancid during the cooking process.
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
2 onions, quartered
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
125ml dry white wine or vermouth
1 large whole fish frame (or 2 small ones), including the head (snapper, bass, sole, turbot work well; no oily fish), gills removed
Filtered or spring water (about 2 litres, enough to cover the fish frame)
A small bunch of fresh thyme
A small bunch of parsley, stalks included
2 bay leaves
Place a large pot over a medium heat and add the butter. When it is melting, add the onions and carrot and reduce the heat to low, cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are lovely and soft, add the wine, increase the heat to medium and bring just to the boil. Add the fish frames and heads and enough water to cover the bones.
Bring to a bare simmer and carefully skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Add the herbs and keep the heat low. Cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off any scum. Add a little more water if needed to keep the bones covered.
When the stock is done, remove the solids with a pair of tongs, then strain the lot through a fine-mesh strainer. At this point you can use the stock in other dishes that require fish stock or you can pour the stock into glass jars and allow to cool before transferring to the fridge or freezer. It will keep in the fridge for about five days or in the freezer for many months.
A warming golden fish broth.
MAKES ABOUT 1.5–2 LITRES
This is my favourite way to drink fish broth. I like the freshness it has, as opposed to the classic fish stock, which I find is better as a base for fish soups and stews. I enjoy drinking a cup of this before my evening meal. It also happens to be incredibly anti-inflammatory, which is a wonderful thing for anyone suffering from any kind of inflammatory disease. Not only is this soup a form of medicine, but it tastes wonderful too.
1 large whole fish frame (or 2 small ones), including the head (snapper, bass, sole and turbot work well; no oily fish), gills removed
Filtered or spring water (about 2 litres, enough to cover the fish frame)
2 onions, quartered
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
A knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
A small knob of fresh turmeric root
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
A bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks
1 lemongrass stalk, bashed
2 kaffir lime leaves
Sea salt
Place a large pot over a medium heat, add the fish frames and heads and enough water to cover the bones. Bring to a bare simmer and carefully skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
Add the onions, carrot, ginger, turmeric and black peppercorns and bring back to the boil. Add the coriander, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, then reduce the heat once more to low. Cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off the scum if any rises to the top. Add more water if needed to keep the bones covered.
When the stock is done, remove the solids with a pair of tongs, then strain the lot through a fine-mesh strainer. Either serve as it is, seasoned with just enough salt, or pour the broth into glass jars and allow to cool before transferring to the fridge or freezer. It will keep in the fridge for about five days or in the freezer for many months.
Wild Fermentation.
A few words and tips on Lacto-fermentation.
What is lacto-fermentation? Why is it good for you?
Lacto-fermentation is a method of preserving food that transforms fresh food into favourites such as pickles, chutney, miso, tempeh, kimchi and sauerkraut. Fermentation is as old as life itself; humans have been fermenting fruit and vegetables for millennia. It was a safe and delicious way of preserving foods and drinks before refrigeration.
Most people think about beer or wine when they hear the term fermentation. Yeasts are used to convert the sugars in grains or grape juice into alcohol, whereas bacteria are responsible for lacto-fermentation. The ‘lacto’ part of the term refers to a specific species of bacteria, namely lactobacillus. Various strains of these bacteria are present on the surface of all plants, especially those growing close to the ground, and are also plentiful within the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the mouths and genitals of humans and other animal species.
The lactobacillus strain is so named because it was first studied in milk ferments. However, lacto-fermentation does not necessarily involve dairy products. The Lactobacillus bacteria convert lactose or other sugars into lactic acid, which is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. Apart from preservation advantages, lacto-fermentation also increases or maintains the vitamin and enzyme levels of the fermented food and improves its digestibility.
The traditional diets of every society have included some kind of lacto-fermented food. Europeans consume lacto-fermented dairy products, sauerkraut, grape leaves, herbs and root vegetables. The Alaskan Inuit ferment fish and sea mammals. The Orient is known for pickled vegetables, sauces and kimchi in particular. Farming societies in central Africa are known for porridges made from soured grains. Pickles and relishes are part of the American food tradition. Since the advent of industrialisation, most commercial pickling is done with vinegar and sugar, which offer more predictable results, but no lactic acid or probiotics. With just a little patience, instruction and minimal supplies, it is possible to learn the time-honoured art of lacto-fermentation. They are easy for even a beginner to prepare, and it doesn’t take long to gain enough confidence to venture beyond basic yogurt or sauerkraut to an endless variety of fruits, vegetables, beverages and more.
One of the benefits of eating fermented foods, aside from their delicious flavour, is the huge health benefit. They are so packed with enzymes and multiple strains of good bacteria, that eating a portion daily can significantly help to heal the gut, increase immunity, balance hormones, improve bowel health, aid digestion and much more. They are cheap to make and require fewer ingredients and equipment than the more modern method of pickling using vinegar and sugar. Win-win, I’d say.
The important thing is not to be intimidated by lacto-fermentation. Unless it smells unmistakably putrid (in which case common sense says throw it away), fermented foods are some of the safest foods we can eat.
Be sure to use a good-quality sea salt with no anti-caking agents.
Use fresh spring water or filtered tap water that is fluoride- and chlorine-free. The chemicals will kill the good bacteria and cause the fermenting vegetables to rot instead of ferment. If chlorinated tap water doesn’t allow friendly bacteria to grow and actually causes the fermenting vegetables to putrefy, imagine what it does to your gut when you drink it… worth thinking about!
If you don’t have a special weight to hold down the vegetables as many recipes suggest, you can improvise and use a cabbage leaf, folded into the right shape and tucked
into the top of the jar, to keep the vegetables submerged under the pickling brine.
A magical golden kraut.
MAKES 2–3 LITRES
Garlic, ginger and turmeric are a magical combination used in many health tonics. Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine and Indian cooking for thousands of years. This amazing spice contains bioactive compounds with powerful medicinal properties – it is antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Turmeric drastically increases the body’s antioxidant capacity because the main active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, happens to be a potent antioxidant. Curcumin supports brain and heart health and heals the gut. Including turmeric regularly in your diet results in changes on a molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer. Ginger is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, it aids digestion and can help with nausea. Garlic is a natural antibiotic, and also contains prebiotics, which help support the growth of good bacteria within the gut. So not only is this golden kraut super-tasty, it’s a jarful of wonderful healing stuff.
For an extra dose of goodness, cover this kraut with extra brine so that you can drink it all on its own for a shot of probiotics, enzymes and all the wonderful properties of the spices involved. You can also add it to broth (see here for ideas).
1.8kg white cabbage, finely shredded
