Stock is the elixir that gives body and soul to your soups, dressing, stovetop peas and beans, etc. It takes the flavor of otherwise mundane tasting dishes and transforms them into a delectable treat. Once you make homemade stock you will never look at stock in a box the same way again. My favorite stock is simple vegetable stock, so versatile, light, and flavorful.
light and refreshing
taste transcends the everyday
elixir of food
I was introduced to the importance of stock during a culinary weekend at Blackberry Farm. Daniel Humm, the chef, and owner of Eleven Madison Park discussed and demonstrated how they prepare the most amazing food. He spent the entire prep time talking about different stocks as the base of cooking. Here was the chef of one of the world's greatest restaurants pontificating on the virtues of a topic that before, I had never given much thought too. It was a fascinating discussion that opened my eyes to this often neglected part of cooking. Â
This is Daniel Humm's basic vegetable stock recipe. You can vary it, as you wish. Personally, I don't like tomatoes in my stock, too acidic and overpowering. I have tried adding other veggies, but his recipe is the best combination of ingredients that I have found.
Begin preparing vegetable stock by looking in your fridge for any tired looking vegetables that are ready to be tossed in the garbage. This way they are not wasted and are the perfect starting point for your stock.
Vegetable Stock Recipe
1 fennel bulb
2 medium sweet onions, preferably Vidalia
1 celery stalk
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
1 bunch carrots
1 bunch green onions
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 sprig of thyme (optional)
Add water to a large stockpot (2/3 full) and place it on high heat. Coarsely chop the veggies and add to the stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and lightly simmer for three hours, adding water as needed. Take off the heat and let it begin to cool. Remove and discard the solids with a basket strainer (I add them to my compost pile). Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into containers.
Vegetable stock keeps in the refrigerator for several days or frozen for a few months. You can adjust the amount of the various ingredients to taste.
Vegetable stock is the perfect backbone for so many of the foods we eat. I use it in Thanksgiving dressing instead of chicken stock, giving it a much lighter feel. I don't feel so weighed down after the large meal. Use it in place of water to boil your peas and beans on the stovetop giving them so much more flavor. The potential uses are limited only by your imagination.