Thursday, May 21, 2009

A Number Of The Beasts

So that smoked/grilled/raw chicken broth (plus a couple of lamb chop bones from a restaurant meal) became the basis for a minestrone that may be in the top three of all time. The other ingredients were all fine, but the broth was just so damn intense and deep. And before you gasp in horror at my hoarding of bones from restaurants, remember that I paid for these damn lamb chops and therefore have the right to extract every molecule of flavor and nourishment from them that I can. Any other horror-related spasms you may be feeling are owed no doubt to the fact that the last post was number 666 in the history of this blog.

This version of the soup consisted of pressure-cooked navy beans combined with the broth, cubed Japanese yam, carrot, herbs, kale, sorrel, and the last two (yes, TWO) slices of bacon. And it was a beautiful day so we ate out on the porch.

So the moral of the story is, if you don't already, grab all the bones from your guests every time you grill/smoke/etc. They get simmered again, so it's not gross. And the flavor cannot be beat.

That is all.

7 comments:

Jen said...

I'm all for using every bit of everything. Good post.

Zoomie said...

Especially like the part about eating it outdoors - even broth as important as that needs a setting and outdoors is definitely it in springtime! Good idea.

Heather said...

I always reuse bones, no biggie. We're in a recession, people!

The Short (dis)Order Cook said...

My freezer is always full of carcasses from chickens past. I always have the intention of making a nice broth. Sometimes I actually follow through too! Nothing makes people happier than knowing that they are eating truly homemade soup.

We Are Never Full said...

oh no, not gross at all. what about digging through their trash to get their bones? would that be ok? there should be some recycling etiquette for bones so that local food lovers can use them again. that wouldn't be too weird either.

peter said...

Jen: Frugality R us.

Zoomie: We so love our screen porch.

Blanche: No, it's a biggie.

SdOC: There's no room in my freezer, so I always try to do it the next day.

Amy: It's funny because you're grossed out.

Zoomie said...

I had a nice, big one when I lived in WNY, too, and it was wonderful!