A good foundation is needed to build a good soup or sauce. That’s what a good stock is for. Stocks can be made in large quantities and stored for four or five days in a refrigerator or for a few months in a freezer.
When making stock, it is important to extract all the flavoursome juices. This is done by prolonged slow cooking over a gentle heat. Stock made from aged animal meat and mature vegetables will have more flavour than stock made from young and tender meat and vegetables.
Hints on Stockmaking
1. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and cover with cold water, bring gently to the boil. Simmer for at least 3 or 4 hours.
2. As the stock heats, heavy scum rises to the surface. Remove this scum regularly to obtain a clear stock.
3. When stock is cooked, let it cool, strain it, then cover it tightly and refrigerate or freeze it. As it cools, the grease will form a solid mass of fat on top. This serves to protect it. So don’t remove this layer of fat until you are ready to reheat the stock for use.
Watchpoints: Raw and cooked bones should not be mixed. Don’t use gravy in any stock. Starchy foods tend to make the stock spoil rapidly.
Bone Stock
Preparation time:
15 minutes
Ingredients:
6 1/2lb marrow bones 3kg
4 quarts cold water 5 litres
6 cloves
1 chopped onion
2 diced stalks celery
2 chopped carrots
3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
Method: Break bones into small pieces and brown in the oven. Put into stockpot and cover with cold water. Stick the cloves into onion and add, with remaining ingredients, to stock pot. Bring to the boil over gentle heat. Simmer for 21/2–3 hours uncovered, skimming off the scum as it rises. Strain stock and cool uncovered, then cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Beef Stock
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 21/2 hours
Ingredients:
2lb neck of beef bones 1kg
4 quarts water 5 litres
2 chopped carrots
2 chopped leeks
3 chopped sticks celery
3 chopped onions
bouquet garni
Method: Put meat and bones into the stock pot; cover with cold water and bring gently to the boil over a low heat. Add vegetables; cover partially and continue cooking over a gentle heat for 2 hours, skimming off the scum as it rises. Strain and cool; cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Fish Stock
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20–25 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
2oz margarine 50g 1/4 cup
2 chopped onions
2 chopped carrots
2 chopped sticks celery
6 white peppercorns
2 tablespoons vinegar 30ml 1oz
2 quarts water 2.5 litres
1 tablespoon lemon juice 15m 11/2oz
2lb fish bones (avoid using oily fish such as mackerel or salmon) 1.5kg
Method: Heat the fat, add diced vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring gently to the boil; continue cooking uncovered over a brisk heat for 20–25 minutes only; it will become bitter if left any longer. Strain and cool; cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Light Stock
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
31/2lb veal bones 1.5kg
2 quarts cold water 2.5 litres
1 chopped onion
3 chopped sticks celery
2 chopped carrots
6 white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Method: Put all ingredients into the stockpot. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 21/2–3 hours, skimming off scum as it rises. Strain stock, cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Note: Used for soups and sauces.
Chicken Stock I
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
4lb chicken carcases, necks, wings 2kg
4 quarts cold water 5 litres
1 chopped onion
3 chopped sticks celery
2 chopped carrots
6 white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Method: Prepare and store as for light stock.
Chicken Stock II
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
chicken bones
giblets from chicken (omitting liver)
3 chopped carrots
3 chopped onions
3 chopped sticks celery
3 pints water 1.5 litres
parsley stalks
bay leaf
a few peppercorns
tomato and mushroom skins
Method: Put bones, giblets, vegetables, water and seasonings into a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a gentle heat. Simmer for at least 2–3 hours, skimming off scum as it rises. Strain and cool; cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Game Stock
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
4lb fowl or rabbit bones 2kg
4 quarts cold water 5 litres
1 chopped onion
3 chopped celery sticks
2 chopped carrots
4–5 sprigs parsley
bay leaf
Method: Prepare and store as for light stock.
Vegetable Stock
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
2oz margarine 50g 1/4 cup
3oz chopped onion 75g 3/4 cup
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
6 black peppercorns
3oz chopped parsnip 75g 3/4 cup
3oz white turnip 75g 3/4 cup
6oz chopped carrot 175g 11/2 cups
6oz chopped celery 175g 11/2 cups
2 quarts water 2.5 litres
Method: Heat margarine; fry the onion in it gently until it turns a rich brown colour. Add sugar and vegetables; cook for 3–4 minutes. Cover with cold water, bring to boil over a gentle heat. Cover partially and simmer for 11/2 hours. Strain and cool; cover and refrigerate or freeze.
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