To make this chicken stock (fond blanc de volaille), you can buy whole birds if you can use the chicken breasts and legs for another meal. It is also convenient (and sometimes more economical) to buy wings and backs from a market that sells chicken parts. Unfortunately, it is getting more and more difficult to find these as most supermarkets don’t do their own cutting anymore.

5 to 6 lb of chicken carcass or any chicken pieces
3 large carrots, scraped and cut
1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 large leek, green parts cut off and well rinsed
1 stalk of celery
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of dry white wine  (optional)
2 onions, sliced
1 small onion stuck with 2 cloves
about 4 quart of water or enough to cover the meat and vegetables
bouquet garnis (bay leaf, thyme and parsley)

• Put the cut up chicken, or parts, in a large pot with the carrots, mushrooms, leek, celery stalk, and onions.
• Add the white wine, if you are using it, and boil down for 15 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
• Add the cold water, the clove studded onion, and the bouquet garnis.
• Simmer the stock gently, partially covered, over low heat, for about 3 hours.
• Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
• Strain the stock through a large, fine-mesh strainer into the container in which it will be stored.
• Let cool, then store, covered, in the refrigerator.
• When the stock is cold, the fat hardens on the surface.
• Discard the fat.
• At this point, you can either reduce your stock to use for various sauces, or use it as is for different soups.