Equipment
Ingredients
Liquid Base
- 1000 ml high-quality chicken stock
Mediterranean Aromatics
- 5 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaves, dried whole leaves
- 3 garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 2 g black peppercorns, whole
- 5 g lemon peel, wide strips, pith removed
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, smashed garlic, black peppercorns, and optional lemon peel.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a very gentle simmer, targeting around 85 C or 185 F. Do not let it reach a rolling boil.
Once simmering, immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and let the mixture steep gently for 20 minutes to allow the essential oils from the herbs to infuse the stock.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully pour the infused broth through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or storage container. Discard the spent herbs and aromatics.
Chef's Notes
- Lightly toasting the peppercorns and garlic in the dry saucepan for 60 seconds before adding the liquid can deeply enhance the savory, roasted notes of the final broth.
- Bruise the thyme sprigs gently by clapping them between your hands before adding them to the pot. This ruptures the cell walls and releases their volatile essential oils more effectively.
- If making a true from-scratch stock rather than an infused quick broth, add delicate herbs like thyme and lemon peel only during the final 30 minutes of cooking. Prolonged boiling destroys their bright flavor compounds.
- The quality of your bay leaves matters immensely. If your dried bay leaves lack a distinctly fragrant, eucalyptus-like aroma when broken in half, they are too old and will contribute nothing but dust.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight glass container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in ice cube trays or silicone blocks for easy portioning.
Reheating: Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove before using in other recipes.
