Fern Briton's Chicken Stock Soup with Vegetables, Fresh Parsley and Lemon

This is a superb way to use up the roasted chicken carcass, the roasting process tends to give the finished stock a wonderful deeper flavour. To boost the flavour even further I have also added an additive free chicken stock cube, a nice selection of vegetables, parsley and a hint, and I mean a hint of red chilli. You do not have to use the chilli if you don't like the stuff. I think it adds a nice edge to the whole thing. Once the stock is ready all you need to do is thicken slightly and hey presto, a tasty soup for next to nothing, it also freezes well.

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes.
Cooking time 45 minutes.

Ingredients
• 1 Roasted chicken carcass, cut into pieces
• About 3 pints of cold water
• 1 Additive free stock cube
• 1 Large carrot, washed and peeled
• 1 Large courgette, washed
• 1 Large onion, peeled
• 1 Bay leaf
• Stalks from the bunch of parsley
• A few black peppercorns
• 2 Cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• Zest of 1 lemon, and a tablespoon of the juice
• 1 chilli, chopped finely (optional)
• 1 Small bunch of parsley, washed well and chopped roughly
• 1 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot, slaked in a little cold water

Instructions
1. Place the carcass in a saucepan along with the water and stock cube. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 35 minutes nice and slowly.
   
   
2. Meanwhile roughly but finely chop the carrot, courgette and onion.
   
   
3. After the stock is cooked strain through a fine sieve and leave to stand for about 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Skim off all the grease and fat from the stock then place the stock back in a clean saucepan.
   
   
5. Add the carrot, onion and chilli and bring back to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables is tender but not overcooked. At this point add the courgette and simmer for about 1 minute so that it keeps its colour.
   
   
6. While still boiling add the cornflour and thicken carefully, the stock must still be nice and thin so do not go mad with the cornflour, if you do then just add a touch more stock. Finally add the zest and juice from the lemon and salt and pepper. Serve.

Copyright Fern Briton

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