Homemade Chicken Stock

Now I think Yotam Ottalenghi said it best in his book Plenty, “the crucial component in this dish [Lemon and Eggplant Risotto] is the stock, which will make or break it.” I didn’t listen, and he was right. Now, yes, when you only need a ¼ cup of stock, the store bought stuff is just fine. But if you have the time, and you are making a dish entirely based around the stock, like a soup or risotto, I agree with Mr. Ottalenghi, make your own. This way you can not only control the prominent flavors, but also the amount of salt. Making stock can be pretty intimidating, but all you need is a big pot (my 6 quart just barely cut it) and a strainer (I got this one just for the occasion).

Ginger Chicken

One of my favorite things to order at a Chinese restaurant is paper wrapped chicken (I usually don’t because it tends to be greasy, but it is so delish!)

I always wondered how they made the chicken so moist and flavorful. Whenever I cooked chicken in college, it was a dried out mess, but that was probably because I put it in a frying pan with a tiny bit of oil and cranked up the heat.