Nigella's Chicken Soup - why did mine come out grey instead of golden?

[spacedonkey]

Where does the golden colour come from? When I make chicken stock, it tastes nice but it's a sort of dishwater colour

I dunno, mine always looks a bit grey and scummy too. Perhaps Nigella has special magic chickens.

at least i'm not the only one then ...

Mistress Wong might know. She being Chef to the Stars and all that.

Where the hell does one buy a "bowling fowl" anyway?

Hmmmmmm.... well I would recommend leaving the carrots in and whizzing it all in the blender

since you ask

I make chicken soup and rice for FB 1 and it goes golden and that's just stock and rice and that's what I do

this is a clear soup though, not a liquidised type ... i'm after a golden broth

strain it through a muslin then

ffs, you and your west london clear broth dinner soirees

if i strain it it is just grey broth with no bits in it though!

GAHHH

right, now I will let you in to a secret but only because I love you

add a scant pinch of tumeric, it won't really alter hte taste

you know i thought about turmeric

do you reckon that's what nigella does with hers?

Is it that she uses one of those yellow corn fed chickens?

I reckon nigell sits ona couch like the Little Britain character and spouts porno recipes and some one far more industrious and practical actually makes the recipes, if you ask me

she doesn't specify a yellow chicken in the recipe

i doubt it would colour the broth that strongly

i did read something about roasting the bones until they are dark brown before using for stock: would that work?

No-one knows then?

Supercook food colouring? Orange or yellow???

I've just emailed Nigel Slater about this. I bet it's all a big con involving supercook/turmeric. I think we should be told!

I don't know if anyone else is interested in this mystery, but I've come up with a couple more options since my last post :

• according to a food programme about chicken on bbc2 last night, the addition of an unpeeled onion imparts a golden colour to the soup

• according to a book I was perusing in a bookshop (looking for an answer to this question), you should cook chopped onions to the point of severe caramelisation in order to achieve the golden colour

pmsl at e mailing Nigel Slater.

Because you don't have the golden halo that surrounds the blessed Goddess Nigella. Whenever she cooks, golden rays emanate from her and all the food comes out with a special golden, Nigella aura. This cannot be replicated by any other cook as it is special to her alone.

the biyatch!

Could be. I wondered if it calls for veg stock cubes? When I use Marigold swiss bouillon, it makes my soups more golden in colour than an oxo one would.

Blame the food stylists. Read an interesting article once about the pictures in recipe books and magazines. They have all sorts of tricks to make things look good.
Do think caramelising the onions imparts a better colour though.
Good luck with Nigel - I once emailed Hugh FW about roasting a turkey but got no reply. The Good Housekeeping lot are brilliant at replying though.

I'm sure Nigella claims not to use food stylists in her books, and yet nothing in the recipe could result in the delicious golden colour of the pictured end result. Maddening!

was just going to say that I add 2 whole onions to mine with skin on. The trick is to wash yuor chickens in boiled water 1st, scraping of any exxcess fat/feathers and blood. The just boil the chicken and the water 1st only. Whislt this is happening a scum will form on the top, skim that all off with a large dessertspoon. It takes about 15 minutes to do , but ensures a nice clean clear stock. Once satisfied that any yuck has been removed.THEN add all the veg/ 2 whole onions and a little pinch or 2 of a good qaulity stock cube. Thelma or Osem, be warned they do have some nasties in, but they will be vvvv diluted by about 5-6 litres of water. Bring to boil and then simmer for 1-2 hrs. Once done fish out the onion skins.

thanks melsy - do you use an old bird (as recommended by nigella) or bog standard bird?