Homemade Chicken Stock

A savory stock perfect for soups, stews and a variety of other dishes, brought to you by The Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients:
3 (5-pound) chickens
3 large onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in 1/2, optional
20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

Yield: 6 quarts

Lentil Sausage Soup

This is a delightful soup brought to you by The Barefoot Contessa (Episode: Tale of Two Soups). It's the perfect soup for a cold winter night with a wonderful meaty flavor in which thick rich lentils add to the hardiness of this flavorful soup. We often have bulk mild Italian sausage on hand which is easily subbed for the kielbasa, just brown in a separate pan and add at the same time.

Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 pound kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick
2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions
In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Tiffany's Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbl. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 - 4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2 lbs. of the leanest ground beef you can find

4 14 oz. cans of beef broth
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of pinto beans with juice
1 can of garbanzo beans with juice
1 can of hominy, drained (optional)
1 package taco seasoning

GARNISH WITH:

Grated cheddar cheese
avocado
lime wedges
sour cream
tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a large stock pot saute the onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic for five minutes in a little bit of olive oil then stir in the meat and cook over medium hight heat until the meat is cooked (no longer red).
Reduce the heat to medium and add in the broth, tomatoes, corn, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, hominy and taco seasoning.
Simmer the ingredients until all the veggies are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Serve the soup with grated cheese, avocado, lime, sour cream and tortilla chips.