Stocks should be very simple; they are, after all, only a base, and should not dominate the foods in which they are used. We purchase whole chickens quite frequently; if the butcher cuts up the chicken, we use slightly more chicken in the stock (meaning, the trimmed ends that we don’t cook); if we cook the chickens whole for a while, we end up with a supply of innerds, they alone with the vegetables and herbs make an excellent, light sauce. The recipe below is for fourteen (14) cups of water initially (substantially less stock at end); however, all amounts are approximate- make it a few times and go by color and taste. Never salt a stock.

• Put aside the chicken pieces that you will be using for the stock- if you are using actual pieces, skin them (a solid grab with paper towel for grip, and a good yank);
• Onions: quarter two medium yellow onions (can substitute white, but not purple)
• Celery: cut 2 or 3 stalks into large pieces
• Carrot: cut 3 or 4 into large chunks
• Prepare a bouquet garni: quite simply, put a few non-assertive herbs in a container (non-assertive: thyme, parsley, celery leaf: fresh is better; more by volume with fresh- careful touch with dry; assertive would be rosemary- bad choice, too dominant), and a bay leaf. If your bay leaf is fresh, one is fine; the dryer your leaves, the more you will need.
• for the container: a good trick is a metal tea strainer; fill it with the herbs, tie a string to the pot handle- let it float about. Cheese cloth, works fine; if all the herbs are fresh, tying in a not is fine.
• Our container trick: a Chinese tea strainer/medicine ball. It was $6 at a Chinese kitchen supply- it is much larger than a standard tea strainer, and it twist-locks in place. It comes with a chain and hook for securing to the handle- by far the best system yet.
• Put in a large pot with 14 cups of water and simmer for at least four hours. Let cool and skim (generously).
• remove bones (if any) and the bouquet garni; push everything else through a strainer to extract all the flavor from the vegetables.
• What you have after straining is your stock. Measure and store in the freezer- but, there will be substantial shrinkage in the freezer- be prepared to adjust.