Germaine Swanson's Chicken Soup

• 1 medium yellow onion, unpeeled
• 1 4-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 8 to 10 pounds chicken backbones
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks (each 2 inches long)
• 5 whole cloves
• 13 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Place onion directly on a gas burner or under an electric broiler, and roast it, turning with tongs, until it is lightly browned on all sides.
2. Cut the ginger in half lengthwise.
3. Using a side of a heavy cleaver or chef's knife, smash ginger all over.
4. This will release its full flavor.
5. Skin chicken bones, and rinse well.
6. Place bones, onion, ginger and spices in a large soup pot.
7. Add 3 gallons of water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
8. Lower heat to medium-low, and simmer for 3 hours, skimming foam and fat off the surface with a slotted spoon until the stock becomes clear and is reduced by half.
9. Strain stock through a fine sieve, and discard the solids.
10. Refrigerate overnight.
11. Next day, remove all fat from the surface.
12. Bring stock to a boil, and cook 5 minutes; then, add sugar and salt, and serve.

yellow onion, ginger, chicken, star anise pods, cinnamon, cloves, turbinado, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6211 (may not work)