Bone Broth: Part 2

     Over time, the collagen and minerals in bone broth work wonders for arthritic joints, leaky and irritable bowels, and your own bones; I and my family have witnessed those benefits first hand.  I drink a little with my breakfast every morning as a dietary supplement.  I warm about half a cup of broth in a small saucepan on the stove, pour it in a coffee mug, and dilute it with an equal amount of warm water (it is quite rich).  That extra dose of nutrition in the mornings has done me tremendous good over the last few years. 

     Bone broth can be used to add flavor and nutrients to many dishes.  We love to substitute broth for water when steaming greens or cooking rice.  It also works well in place of other liquids when braising vegetables.  Use the yellow fat that you skimmed off the top for sautéing; it has a lovely flavor.  

      Of course, bone broth's most common use is in soup.   It is still soup season, after all.  Once you have prepared your broth, the rest is a breeze.  Brown a chopped carrot, a chopped onion, and a few cloves of garlic in the bottom of a saucepan (be sure to use that yellow fat for this, as well); add some leftover chopped meat from a roast chicken or baked chicken legs and thighs; add equal parts of broth and water until the soup is as thick or as thin as you like; and simmer it all for 3 hours.    

      Happy cooking and remember: the Foothills Farmers Market will resume its regular season and be back in the Pavilion next month.  Opening day for the new season is April 1.  We look forward to seeing everyone.

     Anne Marie Greene