Often while I’m cooking I also have a stockpot going. I feed it with bits and pieces of whatever I have at hand. It can be the end of a carrot, a head of a fish or bones from a piece of meat etc. My vegetable stock as described in the diagram, can be made just as shown or together with any kind of meat. The point is to use the parts of vegetables or meat that you normally don’t eat. However the ingredients must be fresh! With fish I would add some dill stalks and maybe lemon rinds.
I use my stocks to feed risotto, soups, cook beans in or to touch up stews. The use is really endless.
I also like to throw in some dried mushroom tea, they add a lovely savory flavor. Especially if Im trying to make a vegetarian stock with some depth and body.I always keep a bag in the store cupboard, handy for making a last minute stock/gravy with some ooomph. Love the diagrams!
Thanks Matt,
and I agree with you: Dried mushrooms often make that last ooomph!
I’ve never tried making my own stock but you make it sound simple enough. I just might have to give it a shot!
I make stock often, either vegetable or using free range chicken.
I’ve just discovered that the clue for a flavorful vegetable stock is fat, so that it’s good thing to sauté diced onions and carrots in olive oil before pouring the water and the rest of the ingredients.
Deborah Madison recommends the following always-good-to-include-vegetables:
parsley stalks
eggplant
potato peels
beetroot and chard greens
lettuce
For a whiter stock, my mother in-law used to add bread crumb.
Hi Annette,
Thanks for your good advise on making stock. I agree with the fat and that its a great idea to sauté onions and carrots in olive oil before adding the water.
I hate to admit that I never thought of the stock idea. I’m going to start doing this. Thank you!