Winter Can Kiss Off

I love hearty, winter comfort food.  So many avenues to take and so many wonderful recipes to try.  But I am completely done with winter.  We were so close to having all the snow gone when that bitch Mother Nature tossed us a nice sloppy mix of rain and snow last Saturday.  Then, out of nowhere, it was like a blizzard.  Blowing and snowing and....ACCUMULATING!  AGH!  We almost had house guests for the night since the roads were crap by 7 pm.  I am a self proclaimed lover of snow, and usually this would not phase me, but I just cannot take it anymore.  So Winter, now hear this:  I am making my Chicken Stock for the last time this season.  I will use some to make winter-ish dishes this week, and freeze the rest.  I will make delicious sourdough bread and enjoy sopping up those hearty dishes with it.  Then, I will be done with this cold crap.  When the stock runs out....so does your time around these parts, you hear me?  Maybe if everyone makes this stock and bread this week, stands at his or her stove with soup spoon held high, and rejects any and all evil of Winter, Old Man Winter will take the hint a move on outta here.  Can't hurt to try, right?  So let's get to it.

Jules' Chicken Stock

3 large Carrots chopped in half
3 ribs Celery chopped in half
2 large Red Onions chopped in quarters (use skin and all!)
4 garlic cloves peeled and lightly smushed
2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 5 1/2 # to 6# Roaster Chicken cut into 7 pieces (2- wings, 2 leg quarters, back bone, 2 breasts)
5 1/2 Qts. cold H2O
Any scraps of vegetables from freezer, chicken pieces, necks etc.

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot.  Over medium-low heat, slowly bring to just a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours.  Skim often at start to remove all the fluffy sludgy stuff that rises to the top.  Use cheesecloth to strain solids from stock.  I remove the meat from the bones after cooking and give it to the dogs....all the good stuff is now in the stock, but the dogs still love it.

Sourdough Bread
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Club of America, with a few minor changes courtesy of Me.

3 1/2 c. lukewarm water
4 tsp. active dry yeast
4 tsp. kosher salt
7 1/4 c. all purpose flour

Combine water, yeast and salt in large bowl.  With spoon, stir in flour.  Dough should be a bit wet.  Place dough in 5-qt. lidded container;  cover with lid (do not snap air tight).  Let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.  Refrigerate overnight and up to 14 days.

Next day:
Remove 1/4 of the dough.  (Use dough any time within 14 days, repeating these instructions if you like)  Form it into long loaf and place on cornmeal coated peel (or flipped over cookie sheet)  Let come to room temp and then rise, total of 2 hours.  With sharp knife, make several slashes on top of dough.  Oven should be at 400 degrees with pizza stone in oven.  Transfer loaf to pizza stone in oven and bake 30 minutes.  Remove and let cool completely.  Listen.......it will "sing" as it cools.
Enjoy!
J~