Recipe: Parmesan stock

sweat the onion and garlic

If you really enjoy freshly grated Parmesan in your cooking, you'll eventually get to the rind.  Although it really isn't edible in any enjoyable way, there's still a lot of flavour there, and a Parmesan stock is a great way to get every last bit of enjoyment out of your cheese.  What can you use it for?  Soups like Italian Wedding, or brodo are great - even a broccoli cheese soup would benefit from a cheese-based stock.  This is perfect for a broth-style pasta dish, or you could use it in an Alfredo sauce or a cheese fondu base.  This recipe was made from the rind I had on hand from a pretty large wedge, but you can save up smaller amounts in the freezer until you have enough.  My 2 litres reduced down to just over 500ml, but it has a fantastic flavour.

You will need:

add the water, rind and aromatics

215g / 7.6oz    Parmesan rinds (or whatever you have around)
1                      medium white onion
2 cloves           garlic
1                      bay leaf
12                    black peppercorns
 2L / 2qt          cold water
6                      basil stems
12                    parsley stems            

Method:

 - sweat the onion without colour in olive oil
 - add the garlic and continue to sweat

steep the herb stems

 - add the water, Parmesan rinds, bay leaf and peppercorns and bring to a simmer
 - keep at a low simmer for 3 hours
 - turn off the heat, drop in the herb stems, cover the pot and let steep 1/2 hour
 - strain, cool down, and store in the fridge
 - remove the hard fat cap
 - use as needed

rich and cheesy

Recipe: Roasted turkey stock

As you move through turkeys during the season, you should take the opportunity to make stock. Even if you have the carcass after roasting and eating the bird, there's still lots of flavour to be had in the bones.  Certainly, if you have decided to prepare the turkey off the bone, you won't want to waste the bones - you still need a sauce or gravy, and you won't have the roasting pan the day of the meal to get your juices.  

This recipe is a "brown" stock in that the bones and mirepoix have been roasted.  This will give you some much needed roasted flavour and colour for your sauce.  Of course you can keep this a "white" stock if you choose and not roast the bones and mirepoix (you'll want to leave out the carrot as well). 

Committed to a traditional gravy?  No problem, I love it too.  You'll notice I mentioned to keep the fat cap on the stock.  This not only ensures that you get every last drop the stock you made, you can use the fat cap to make gravy the normal way - make your roux, add the juice (stock), season and you're done.  You can even keep a stash of fat and stock in the freezer just in case at a later date you need to make poutine - you'll be a hero.

You will need:

4.5kg / 10lbs   turkey bones (any skin is good too)
3                      onions
4 stalks            celery
1                      carrot
1 bulb              fennel
4 cloves           garlic
pinch               kosher salt  

sachet:             tarragon
                        thyme
                        sage
                        bay leaf
                        black peppercorns

Method:

 - set the oven to 375F / 190C
 - set the turkey bones and skin on a tray and roast until golden brown
 - chop the mirepoix
 - set the mirepoix on the tray the bones were roasted in and toss around in the fat
 - roast the mirepoix to get a bit of colour
 - place the roasted bones and skin in a stock pot and cover with cold water
 - bring up to a gentle simmer
 - skim any impurities from the surface
 - when the impurities aren't surfacing much anymore, add the mirepoix and a pinch of salt
 - prepare the sachet and add to the stock
 - gently simmer 6 - 8 hours, skimming impurities when needed
 - turn off the heat
 - strain the stock through a cheesecloth lined seive (don't worry about fat getting through)
 - cool completely in an ice bath, then move to the fridge
 - once cold, you can remove the fat cap and use it if making gravy
 - use the stock as needed

Recipe: Beef stock clarification for consomme - traditional technique

This recipe is the clarification I used with the smoked beef stock (check the earlier post) to make the consomme element of a modern style French onion soup.  It will work with any good beef stock because it has the elements necessary for creating a good consomme - it has the protein necessary to clarify the stock, and it has the additional meat and vegetables and aromatics to take flavour of a good starting stock to a full flavoured specialty broth.  As for the caramelized onion, it's easiest to just caramelize a bunch, measure out what you need and use the rest for something else.

This recipe is designed to clarify 1.5L (1.5qt) of stock and should yield a good 1L (1qt) of finished soup.  To clarify more, simply multiply accordingly and follow the same process.  The loss of volume is partly due to reduction in the cooking process and the fact that you can't force the straining of a consomme without sacrificing the clarity you worked hard for - it's the cost of doing business, but I think you'll find it's worth it when you want to serve the best.

You will need:

1.5L / 1.5qt             beef stock

200g / 7oz               extra lean ground beef (shank, neck, or shoulder)
3                              egg whites
60g / 2oz                 caramelized onion
30g / 1oz                 leek (white part only)
30g / 1oz                 mushrooms
20g / .7oz                celery
20g / .7oz                carrot
2 cloves                   garlic
1                              bay leaf
2 sprigs                    thyme
10                            whole peppercorns
pinch                       kosher salt

Method:

 - caramelize a bunch of onion in minimal fat and measure out 60g (2oz) then let cool
 - wash the leek and mushrooms well and peel the carrot
 - rough chop all the vegetables, then put in a food chopper and mince together
 - add the egg white to the vegetables and mix well
 - add the vegetable mix and the herbs, peppercorns and pinch of salt to the lean ground meat
 - mix with your hands until well incorporated
 - place in a suitable stockpot (you want more vertical height than width)
 - add the stock to the clarification a little at a time to loosen it up evenly
 - when all the stock is added, turn the heat on low - medium
 - as the stock heats up, gently stir to make sure no meat is sticking to the bottom of the pot
 - when the "raft" starts to form and rise to the top, stop stirring
 - poke a "vent" hole in the middle of the raft to allow the stock to bubble through once it starts to simmer
 - gently simmer and monitor the clarity by looking at the stock coming through the vent
 - when the stock seems absolutely clear, line a vine mesh sieve with cheesecloth and place over another pot
 - carefully ladle the stock through the vent and strain through the cheesecloth
 - when you can't ladle any more, move the sieve to another pot and carefully pour the remainder of the contents in and let drain completely
 - if the contents of the second pot are as clear as the first, feel free put them together, otherwise keep the clear stock clear and use the other elsewhere
 - adjust the seasoning with kosher salt if necessary
 - cool the finished consomme
 - store in the fridge until use

Recipe: Smoked beef stock

This recipe for beef stock is full of flavour and ready to go for a number of applications.  I've clarified it and used it as a consomme for a deconstructed French onion soup, but it also makes an excellent base in braises.  Smoking some of the ingredients for a stock isn't always recommended, but I find with beef stock, that in the end, the hint of smoke is almost always welcome.  If you aren't sure if you want that element, the recipe is still great on it's own, just roast the onion and leek along with the carrot.

You will need:

3kg / 6.6lbs             beef stock bones (knuckle, neck or shank are best)

5L / 5qt                   cold water (approximately)

3                              medium sized red onions

250ml / 1C             washed and chopped onions

1                              large carrot

2                              leek

1                              celery stalk

2 sprigs                   thyme

2 sprigs                   parsley (or a few stems)

3                              bay leaves

6 cloves                   roasted garlic (or confit)

1 sprig                     rosemary

5ml / 1tsp                black peppercorns

15ml / 1Tbs             tomato paste

pinch                       kosher salt

dash                         Worchestershire sauce

as needed                vegetable oil

Method:

 - set the oven to 350F / 177C

 - roast the beef bones to a deep brown colour and set aside

 - chop and toss the carrot and celery with a little oil and roast in the oven

 - Once the carrot and celery start to brown, mix in the tomato paste and brown

 - wash the leek, trim the dark green off and slice the onion

 - smoke the onion and leek in a smoker for about an hour

 - allow all the smoked and roasted items to cool down

 - place the bones in a stockpot and cover with cold water

 - slowly bring up to a simmer 

 - skim the impurities off the top

 - add all the vegetables and aromatics

 - allow to simmer for 8 to 10 hours

 - strain through a mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth

 - cool, then use as needed

 - if desired, re-cover the stock bones and vegetables with cold water and make a remouillage

Recipe: Roasted hoshi-shitake dashi / miso soup

Following along the dashi theme a moment, some vegetarians might not be so keen on the bonito in the more common dashi - have no fear, shitake mushrooms to the rescue.  The common way to do this one is to buy dried shitakes and rehydrate them.   The rehydrating process flavours the water, and there's your stock - easy - too easy.  Why not take the wheel in the whole process and dry the shitakes yourself?  If traditionalists will forgive me, I started doing this at work when someone forgot to order the dried shitakes and I was forced to dry them myself and found I liked my way better.  First off, the dried shitakes usually come whole - I sliced mine, and once they were rehydrated, they still looked nice enough to remain in the soup as a garnish.  Second, since I was drying them, I made the executive decision to not just dehydrate them, but turn up the heat and give them a tan.  I found the resulting flavour was delicious and it gave the broth a nice colour as well.  From there, a little miso is all the seasoning it needs - garnish with some firm tofu and scallions and you've got a brilliant vegan soup.

You will need:

15                   shitake mushrooms

1L / 1qt           cold water

to taste            miso paste (1 or 2 Tbs)

1/4 brick         firm tofu

2                     scallions

Method:

 - set the oven to 300F / 149C

 - remove the stems of the mushrooms and slice thin

 - spread the mushrooms on a sheet pan and put in the oven

 - stir occasionally to dry evenly

 - keep drying until mushrooms turn a nice golden brown colour

 - cool

 - combine the mushrooms with the water and rehydrate

 - bring the mushrooms and water up to a simmer

 - turn off the heat and mix in the miso paste

 - drain the tofu and cut into cubes - add in

 - garnish with sliced scallion

Recipe: Dashi stock

I love the texture of ramen noodles, but the MSG overload flavour packs that often accompany the store-bought variety just make the meal seem trashy.  If I'm not going the distance and making the noodles, I'll go out and get a decent brand of dried ones (the kind that don't come with flavour packs) that leaves me to focus on the broth and all the tasty goodies going into it.  A great deal of the final flavour will come from what goes into the broth, but like any soup, the credibility lies in the foundation, the stock.  Dashi often plays such a role, not only in soups, but many Japanese dishes, so it helps to know how to make it.  Once you are comfortable with it, host a shabu-shabu party and pay attention to how the flavour of the broth develops during the meal - but you still need to have that stock to start it off.

You will need:

1L / 1qt            cold water

20cm / 8in        kombu (dried kelp)

500ml / 2C       bonito flakes (dried and smoked skipjack tuna)

Method:

 - rinse the kombu under cold water until it is rehydrated and very soft

 - put it in a pot with the water and slowly bring to a simmer

 - once at the simmer, turn off the heat, discard the kombu, and add the bonito

 - cover well with saran wrap and let steep 10 minutes

 - strain through a fine mesh sieve and use as needed

Recipe: Vegetable stock

Vegetable stock may seem kind of basic, but I've seen people just ruin it, so it's worth it to take a moment to go over how to make a good one.  We'll pretend that we're making a stock for the purpose of making a soup suitable for a vegetarian guest.  You often won't go to the trouble to specifically make a stock unless for that purpose - often a vegetable stock just sort of happens when you have enough vegetable trim and you'd rather use it than waste it.  Some basic principles:

 - other than basic mirepoix, most clean trim will be suitable - asparagus peelings, broccoli stems, tomato tops, etc
 - you aren't making a stock out of garbage, so make sure all the vegetables are clean, no dirty roots, no rotten bits
 - avoid overly bitter or starchy vegetable trimmings - no turnip, radish, parsnip, potatoes, etc.
 - never boil a stock

You will need:

basic mirepoix:         2 parts                onion
                                 1 part                  carrot
                                 1part                   celery
any other suitable vegetables
aromatic herbs (optional)

Method:

 - this is a quick stock, so chop your vegetables small
 - cover them in a pot with cold water
 - bring stock up to a simmer, not a boil
 - simmer 5 - 10 minutes, then turn off the heat
 - add the herbs and cover the pot with plastic wrap
 - let steep for 20 - 30 minutes
 - strain and use or cool and store

Recipe: Fish stock

Fish stock is one of the fastest stocks to make, it is also probably the easiest to do poorly.  More than other stocks, the "don't boil" rule is crucial.  Consider the bones the same as you would the fish - they are more fragile and delicate, and should be treated so.  As I mentioned in our discussion of chicken stock, proportions of the ingredients will depend on how many bones you have, which in turn will depend on how much fish you just butchered.  Fish stock is often used in soups, so if your stock is a bit understated, you can always be generous with the vegetables when you make your soup.  Conversely, if you find the stock is too strong, just add water to tame it - after all it was probably the amount of water in the stock that made it strong in the first place.  If you've invested in a vacuum sealer, then making a fish stock for your freezer storage is a natural an logical follow up to a fish meal.

You will need:

water to cover bones
fish bones - whitefish are usually best
white wine - a splash
vermouth - a splash
white mirepoix - 2 parts onion, one part celery, one part fennel, one part button mushrooms
herbs - tarragon, thyme, parsley or parsley stems
salt - just a pinch  

Method:

 - first, rinse the bones in cold water to remove any excess blood and impurities
 - cover the bones with fresh water and add the mirepoix, wine, vermouth, herbs, and pinch of salt
 - gently bring up to a simmer and skim off any foam that arises
 - let simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat
 - let the stock steep for another 20 minutes, then strain through your finest strainer - cheesecloth if you can
 - cool quickly and store in the fridge, or vacuum seal for the freezer until use

Recipe: Chicken stock

We make a lot of chicken stock at home.  With a Mexican in the house, there's no surprise to come home and see some chicken simmering in a pot, to get pulled and shredded later on.  Thus, we often have the resulting stock in the fridge for soups or what have you later on.  It's always tasty, with a good amount of gelatin - much better than quality store-bought stock - and always so simple.  It got me thinking back to cooking school and the stock classes and really, much of it is over-thought.  In school, we would have set amounts of mirepoix (stock vegetables), herbs and spices for each kind of stock, but really, what's most important is the method.  Don't get me wrong, the stocks at school were all good, but the emphasis is too often on the recipe, and the method is the key to your success.  In a large operation, you do want a consistently flavoured product, so something of a recipe is useful, but at home, just go with what you have - it'll be ok.

First you need chicken bones.  You can buy them, or take them from the chicken you are preparing.  If your meal will use pre-cooked chicken, then you can debone the bird, start the stock with the bones, then after skimming the impurities, cook the meat in the stock for more flavour in both the meat and the broth.  If you are buying bones, "working" bones are the best - feet, neck, back and legs - all the parts that move a lot when the bird is alive.

Vegetables.  Traditionally, mirepoix is two parts onion, one part carrot, one part celery - the amounts of each depend on the size of the stock.  Here's where things start to vary.  Carrot will colour your stock, so if you are making something you want as white as possible, leave it out.  Other very nice vegetables for stock are leeks (cut off the dark green), fennel and mushrooms.  My advice, be flexible.  If you are planning a little ahead, you can pre-cut the vegetables for your meal and set them aside, then use the (clean) trimmings for the stock.  Just avoid inappropriate vegetables - bitter ones like turnip and parsnip.  If simply making a soup, I often won't even add mirepoix to my stock since I like lots of vegetables in the soup itself.  If you sweat your soup vegetables well before adding the stock, there's plenty of flavour there already.  For the sake of argument, if you deboned a small chicken, one large onion, a medium carrot and a stalk of celery would be fine.  Adjust accordingly.

Aromatics.  Peppercorns, thyme (and other herbs), parsley stems, garlic, shallots - again, these all add a nice touch, and like the vegetables, are open to your personal preferences.  Using soup again as an example, some of these things are just as well added in the preparation of a dish.  It would be a shame to use up your herbs on the stock and have nothing for the final product to give it that "freshness".  If using parsley, sure use the stems in the stock, but save all the leaves for the final touches and garnish.  Our soups at home are almost always started with a saute of onion and garlic, and finished with a squeeze of lime and generous portion of cilantro.  Regardless what lands in the middle, a winner every time.

Method:

You've got your bones, figured out your vegetables and aromatics, now it's all love and attention.
  - rinse the bones under cold water till it's clear - there's residual blood and "environment" on them
  - place the bones in a pot and cover completely with cold water - if it's not covered, it's not involved
  - slowly bring the stock up to a low simmer - don't rush it, and NEVER BOIL A STOCK and don't stir it
  - you will start to see grey foam emerging (impurities) - skim it off with a shallow spoon or ladle
  - once the impurities are emerging less frequently, you can add your mirepoix and aromatics
  - keep skimming any impurities that emerge
  - it can take up to 6 hours or more to get all the flavour from the bones, so keep it on low and be patient
  - when it's time to strain, turn off the heat and carefully pour the stock through the finest mesh you have - line a seive with cheesecloth if you can
  - don't worry about the fat, once the stock cools, you can store it in the fridge and remove the hardened fat later (the solid fat also does a great job sealing the stock during storage)