To my amazement not everybody makes fresh broth at home. This is a pity, it's fantastic on a cold evening, it can be frozen and can be used for a huge variety of recipes. Here I'll capture my versions for these four types.
Method:
The basics are the same for all types: once the ingredients are cleaned and in the pot (fill at least half of your pot with the ingredients), add enough water to cover them all plus an additional 2 cm of water
Bring to the boil from cold and, once bubbling merrily, reduce the temperature to a low simmer - cover with a tight fitting lid (after 5 mins check to see it's on a low simmer, otherwise reduce the temperature further)
Let the broth cook for 1 hour, then uncover it, bring it back up to a good simmer and let it cook for a further hour (it depends on how much broth you want at the end of it all).
Strain the broth when it's still warm through a fine sieve and into a clean pot: check for quantity and colour
f needed, reduce it further on the hob until you get the desired quantity or the right colour intensity
TIP: dice the vegetables, the flavour will come out from all sides so if you leave them whole you will get a less flavoursome broth!
TIP: nothing of course stops you from blizzing it without straining it with an immersion mixer to get a nice soup instead of the broth
TIP: don't use red onions in broths, they are sweeter and will weaken the flavours. Red onions are fabulous in salad, sauces or caramelized on their own, just not in broths (or in soffritto for that matter).
BEEF BROTH
Ingredients:
2 Carrots
2 celery sticks
2 White/blond onions
4 peeled gloves of garlic
Some 200gr of chopped beef, unless you can find beef bones
2 bayleaves
1 Tbsp of thyme
1 Tbsp of rosemary
1 Tbsp of black peppercorns
1 Tbsp of red pleppercons
1 Tbsp of fine salt
A lot of water, to cover it all reaching 2cm above the content
Method:
The beef will release some grease and froth because of its protein content, so with this broth make sure you strain it only when it has reached room temperature (i.e. don't strain it when it's still warm) and you'll eliminate both grease and froth easily from your broth
CHICKEN BROTH
Ingredients:
2 Carrots
2 celery sticks
2 White/blond onions
200gr chicken pieces (no skin), if you cannot get hold of a chicken carcasse
2 bayleaves
1 Tbsp of parsley
1 Tbsp of sage
1 Tbsp of rosemary
1 Tbsp of black peppercorns
1 Tbsp of red pleppercons
1 Tbsp of fine salt
Note: keep in mind that if you want to eat the chicken, you should use whole chicken breasts or legs, and in that case take the chicken out of the simmering pot after 40 mins otherwise the meat will become too stringy. You can leave the broth to cook per the basic recipe withouth the chicken in it at that point
VEGETABLE BROTH
Ingredients:
2 Carrots
2 celery sticks
2 White/blond onions
2 bayleaves
1 Tbsp of parsley
1 Tbsp of sage
1 Tbsp of rosemary
1 Tbsp of black peppercorns
1 Tbsp of red pleppercons
1 Tbsp of fine salt
Tuscany variation: add garlic and a tin of chopped tomatoes
FISH BROTH
Ingredients:
2 Carrots
2 celery sticks
2 White/blond onions
2 bayleaves
3 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp parsley
1/2 Tbsp of salt
1/2 Tbsp of white peppercorns (or half a tsp of ground white pepper)
200 gr of white fish, if you cannot get fish bones
Some smoked fish like cod or mackerel or kippers, if you plan to use this for a fish chowder
Avoid in general oily fish such as salmon