Good Housekeeping Institute - Good Housekeeping Cookery Book

The Good Housekeeping Institute was created in 1924 to provide readers of Good Housekeeping magazine with expert consumer advice and delicious, easy-to-follow recipes. These ideals still hold true today. The Good Housekeeping Cookery Book is the Institutes famous classic cookbook and is now established as the cooks ultimate bible. This edition has been updated for the 21st-century cook, while keeping faith with the traditions and precision of the original book. Every recipe published in this book has been rigorously triple-tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute experts so that you can cook any dish with confidence.

Well-flavoured stocks form the basis of soups, sauces, stews and many other savoury dishes. You will find an extensive range of ready-made stock products in most supermarkets and these have improved significantly in recent years, but the flavour of a good home-made stock is incomparable. Stocks are easy to make.

Fishmongers are usually only too happy to let you have fish bones and trimmings; similarly poulterers and butchers will generally supply chicken carcasses and other bones. Any stock that is not required for immediate use can be frozen in manageable quantities. To save freezer space, you can boil the stock to reduce the volume by half and concentrate the flavour before freezing.

The characteristics of a good stock are clarity and a fine flavour. Guard against over-seasoning, as boiling concentrates the flavour and saltiness. Fat and impurities will make a stock cloudy, so these should always be removed by skimming the surface from time to time during cooking. If possible, use a conical sieve to strain the stock and allow the liquid to drip through; avoid pressing any vegetables in the sieve or you will lose clarity.

Once strained, cool the stock quickly, ideally over a bowl of chilled water, then chill. A thin, solid layer of fat will form on the surface of most stocks; just lift it off the stock with a slotted spoon. Bring the stock to the boil before use.

If you havent the time to make your own stock, opt for one of the better ready-made alternatives. Fresh stocks available in cartons from the chilled cabinet, liquid stock concentrates and vegetable bouillon powder are preferable to powdered stock cubes. These are still inclined to be strong and salty so, if you use them, do so sparingly, or choose a low-salt variety.

Makes 1.1 litres (2 pints)

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 35 minutes

225g (8oz) onions, roughly chopped

225g (8oz) celery sticks, roughly chopped

225g (8oz) trimmed leeks, roughly chopped

225g (8oz) carrots, roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

a few fresh thyme sprigs

1 small bunch of parsley

10 black peppercorns

tsp sea salt

Put the onions, celery sticks, leeks and carrots into a large pan.

Add 1.7 litres (3 pints) cold water, the herbs, black peppercorns and salt. Bring slowly to the boil and skim off any scum. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes; check the seasoning.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl and allow to cool. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to three days. Use as required.

NUTRITION PER 100ml (3fl oz)
5 cals | trace fat (trace sats) | 1g carbs | 0.2g salt

Makes about 900ml1.1 litres (12 pints)

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time about 3 hours

900g (2lb) meat bones, fresh or from cooked meat, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 tsp salt

3 black peppercorns

bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, a few fresh parsley and thyme sprigs)

Put all the ingredients in a pan with 2 litres (3 pints) water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum. Cover and simmer for about 3 hours. Strain the stock and, when cold, remove all traces of fat.

If using a pressure cooker, add the bones and 1.4 litres (2 pints) water, bring to the boil and skim. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to High 6.8kg (15lb) pressure and cook for 11 hours (cook in 1.7 litres (3 pints) water for 2 hours if you are using marrow bones). Reduce the pressure at room temperature.

NUTRITION PER 100ml (3fl oz)
12 cals | 1g fat (trace sats) | 1g carbs | 0.5g salt

Makes 1.1 litres (2 pints)

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time about 2 hours

225g (8oz) onions, roughly chopped

150g (5oz) trimmed leeks, roughly chopped

225g (8oz) celery sticks, roughly chopped

1.6kg (3lb) raw chicken bones

bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, a few fresh parsley and thyme sprigs)

1 tsp black peppercorns

tsp sea salt

Put the vegetables into a large pan with the chicken bones, 3 litres (5 pints) cold water, the bouquet garni, peppercorns and salt. Bring slowly to the boil and skim the surface. Partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 2 hours; check the seasoning.