oikon-nommos
I. after you eat roasted fish or chicken, or ribs, you can make a soup for the next day that is light and healthy. take the carcass and all bits and scraps, put in a pot. add enough water to barely cover the surface. add a bouquet garni (bay leaf + parsley + thyme tied together) and boil gently, very gently, 1 hour for chicken and fish, 3 hours for pork or beef. you could have also put a whole onion, roasted or not, and/or celery, if it had pleased you. whilst it boils spoon off the fat and scum that rises to the top now and then. now strain the liquid. this is stock. eat it salted with boiled potatoes and carrots. you have a simple soup that is healthy and it costs you nothing. or instead set the stock aside and use it in another recipe, replacing water.

II. make yogurt. if you can't have good yogurt cheaply or conveniently where you live, consider this. get a little bit of fresh yogurt. now take a litre of milk. warm it up, as it is stirred, until it is hot, about 180F. (if you don't have a theremometer, this is when it is steaming and will scald you, but not starting to bubble yet. let it sit still to check.) heat it slowly, make sure it doesn't boil. once it reaches this temperature, take it away from the heat. cool to about 120F (a pleasant heat that could keep you warm at night) and add your yogurt, about two tablespoons. now keep the mixture warm for 4-6 hours. put it in an insulated container, wrap a towel about it, or leave it naked, but applying 30 seconds' feeble flame every hour on the hour. you have yogurt.
- posted by Jesse @ 10:08 AM