Stock

Posted in KnowledgeBase Tell-a-Friend
Stock 

A good stock is the foundation of all good soups, gravies and sauces. They can perk up even the dullest of recipes. It is simple to make and, when stored in the refrigerator or freezer, it is as handy as any stock cube and much more flavoursome. A handy tip is to freeze stock in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a plastic freezer bag. That way you have perfectly measured, small amounts of stock for cooking.

A soup can only be as good as the basic stock that is used. However convenient it may be at times, no stock cube can be expected to give your soups the home made flavour that is achieved by boiling bones, vegetables and herbs, although these don’t actually contribute any fibre.

You can save a lot of calories by using stock for sautéeing instead of oils or fat. You can also add lots of flavour to everyday foods (such as rice) by substituting stock for water in cooking.

The four main types of stocks are vegetable, poultry, meat and seafood. You can often substitute one for another in many (but not all) recipes, with little to no ill affect to the overall recipe. Since stocks can make use of leftovers or items that might otherwise be thrown away, keep bags in the freezer for collecting ingredients such as vegetable scraps and meat bones. When you’ve gathered enough ingredients, throw on a pot of stock.

You can make any stock more intense in flavour by simply simmering them for an extended period of time until their liquid volume is reduced.

Stock cubes or powder are no substitute for a richly-flavoured homemade stock. They taint the finished dish with a distinctive salty artificial flavour which ruins the taste of the recipe. Making your own stock is simple and inexpensive so there’s really no reason not to. As stock can be kept for a week in the refrigerator, or frozen for longer storage, it is worth making several batches.

Vegetable Stock

With the exception of brassicas (which include cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower), which can overpower the flavour of vegetable stock, you can use all kinds of vegetables for this stock. The flavour will vary slightly, depending on the mix you use. Tomatoes can also overwhelm the flavour of a stock, so keep the amount small (unless of course, you want a strong tomato flavour).

Making vegetable stock is a great way to clean out the refrigerator of food that is less than fresh, don’t limit your stock making ingredients to whole vegetables. Start saving peels (well washed, of course) and trimmings while you cook. Your stock will be strained before being used, and all those unattractive peels will be gone, but they will have imparted a lovely flavour to your stock. Some excellent vegetables (and vegetable scraps) to use are: onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, celery, mushrooms, peas, corn (empty corn cobs can also add lots of flavour to vegetable stock), parsley, green beans, beets, bell peppers, scallions, green onions, shallots, fresh basil and many other herbs.

A good rule of thumb is to have about half solid ingredients to half water. It’s a good idea to throw in a tablespoon or so of whole black peppercorns and a bay leaf or two for added flavour. Cover your ingredients with the water, bring to a boil and let simmer for about an hour. Cool and strain to remove any pieces of vegetables, fruit or scraps. That’s all there is to it. You’ve just made vegetable stock.

Category: Cooking Tips

Sub Category: Stock

Total Views: 1257

Word Count: 768

Comment on Twitter

More Articles in "KnowledgeBase"

Baking
Posted 17.10.2009 in KnowledgeBase
Baking
Baking food involves the use of the dry heat in an oven. The temperature range for baking is 130°C (266°F) to 235°C (455°F). Baking is most commonly used…
View Details »
How To - Braise Foods
Posted 17.10.2009 in KnowledgeBase
How To  - Braise Foods
If you want to know how to braise foods, then eJozi's RecipeBook is the right place to be. Braising is a slow and gentle method of cooking, often meat…
View Details »
How To - Use & Store Spices
Posted 09.12.2013 in KnowledgeBase
How To - Use & Store Spices
Spices and herbs will lose their colour, taste and aroma over time. To preserve peak flavour and colour, store spices and herbs in a cool, dry place…
View Details »
Spices in South Africa's History
Posted 09.12.2013 in KnowledgeBase
Spices in South Africa's History
It could be said that South Africa as we know it today came about because of spices. In the mid-1400's, Bartholomeu Dias became the first European explorer…
View Details »
How To - Add Herbs & Spices to Food
Posted 09.12.2013 in KnowledgeBase
How To - Add Herbs & Spices to Food
With a few exceptions, use herbs and spices sparingly, to enhance and accent other flavours rather than dominate them. For starters, try ½ teaspoon…
View Details »

All Articles in "KnowledgeBase"