Chicken broth

Very healthy, huh? I'll never get bored of saying that in the kitchen you just don't need to be lazy! Cooking is easy.... just don't be lazy!!! Think that the best dishes ever have a long cooking process and the are eaten at one bite! But how much satisfaction you can get from savoring it!!!!
This is a basic recipe. Broth can be used by itself and as a part of numerous dishes. 

INGREDIENTS: 
 Serving: about 3 lt of broth

1kg chicken leftovers (like bones with some meat on them, neck, wings, etc )
1 big carrot
2 celery stalks
1 middle size onion
 2 bay leaves
salt
4-5 lt water
  
When I say "chicken leftovers" I don't mean the parts to throw away as "naked" bones... I usually buy in the supermarket lets say chicken carcass: in the farms they cut off the chicken breast, thighs, wings and what is left will be bones with some meat on them. These are really nice for broth cooking, you can get a nice taste from them and they cost nothing. But of course you can always use hen or chicken parts as well.

1. Wash the chicken and put it in a saucepan with cold water, add a peeled carrot and celery cut into halves and peeled onion. When you peel the onion try not to cut all the upper and bottom parts as when you cook it, the onion layers won't split into parts. Start boiling at a high power.

2. Wait till a kind of a foam forms on the surface of the broth. Reduce the fire and remove the foam using a skimmer. You need to remove the foam until it's fluffy and repeat it two or three times. 
Note: If you wait too much the foam will go down and you will necessary need to filter the broth at the end.

3. Add the bay leaves  and simmer at low fire, the saucepan half covered with a lid. 
Note: If you cook broth at a high temperature it will result in being too cloudy.

4. After about 1 hour of simmering add about 1 tbsp of salt, but please taste the broth and add some more salt if necessary.
5. Cook for a half an hour more and it's ready. 
6. Cover the saucepan with the lid and leave it to cool down. Now you can remove the vegetables and the chicken out. The vegges are to be thrown away as all the nutrients were sucked out. You may sift the broth and then store it in the fridge.

Note: What to do with the meat leftovers? Separate the meat from the bones, heat some EVO oil in a frying pan, add some chopped onion, chilly or black pepper to taste and a sprig of rosemary. Add the chicken pieces and fry a little. An alternative second dish is ready! 
Or... you can use the meat for different fillings for dumplings, for the meatballs...etc... :-)