 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 90 Minutes |
Ready In: 90 Minutes Servings: 1 |
|
When I learned to make stock from a recipe in the Fields of Greens cookbook by Annie Somerville, it absolutely changed my soups and my kitchen ethos forever. I now make infinite variations, but almost always start soups with my own homemade stocks. Read more . There is nothing like homemade soup made completely from scratch with nothing but the freshest ingredients. And it's a great way to reduce kitchen waste by tossing vegetable (and meat) scraps into a pot with water. This is my own version, based loosely off the Fields of Greens recipe. I personally make it almost always with chicken as well as the vegetables. Ingredients:
keep in mind that you can really vary the ingredients. the only thing to be cautious about is avoiding certain types of vegetables that tend to produce bitter-tasting stock. |
the basics |
1 or more onions, quartered. (don't bother taking off the skin.) i think yellow onions are nicest for stock, and it's best to have at least one yellow, but you can also use a combination including white and red. i use up to about 5 onions. |
2-10 carrots, including their tops (but not the carrot greens), chopped into a few pieces. |
1 or more leeks (nice but not required), chopped and washed |
2-5 garlic cloves, in their skin, crushed with the side of a knife blade |
2-6 celery ribs, coarsely chopped |
6 parsley sprigs |
6 sprigs fresh thyme (or dry, if you don't have fresh) |
3 fresh sage leaves (or some dry, if you haven't got fresh) |
2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs |
2 bay leaves |
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns |
sea salt to taste |
cold, filtered water |
other optional additions |
1 large potato, sliced |
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced |
2 or more beets (give excellent flavor and color to a vegetarian stock in recipes like french onion soup that often call for beef broth) |
optional meat-eaters' variation: chicken carcass and other parts (i buy rotisserie chicken, use the meat, and then make stocks from the bones and carcass) |
avoid adding the following vegetables to stocks, as they tend to make them bitter |
broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables |
zucchini and other squash |
Directions:
1. Put all herbs and vegetables (and chicken, if used) into a very large stock pot. Cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Taste occasionally as it's cooking; you can add salt or additional herbs if you wish.
3. Let cool a bit, then strain the stock into a very large bowl.
4. OPTIONAL: If you have a reason to wish for extra-strong stock for a sauce or other recipe, you can pour some or all of the resulting stock into a saucepan, heat over medium-high heat, and evaporate water out of the solution until it reaches your desired strength.
5. STORAGE: Siphon into jars or other storage containers (large quart-size yogurt containers work well, once the stock has cooled) if you won't be using the stock immediately for a soup or other recipe. Stock keeps very well in the freezer, making delicious homemade soups easy and very fast to make.
6. Tip #1: Stock can be frozen in an ice-cube tray to keep small amounts available for sauces or other recipes requiring a small amount of stock. You may wish to reduce the stock first before doing so. (You can then use this instead of boullion cubes.)
7. Tip #2: It is possible to make a thin bisque soup by pureeing vegetables you strain out of the stock. It is not very flavorful, but can be nice if you're on a special cleansing diet or fast. I generally put the leftover vegetables in my compost heap rather than cooking with them.
8. Tip #3: Once you begin making stocks, you can vary the ingredients according to what you'll be using them for. For instance, in some recipes, a very oniony stock is excellent. As mentioned above, a beet-heavy stock is delicious in vegetarian versions of French onion soup. Be creative and explore the possibilities.
|
|