Taking Stock

As winter draws to a close, the desire for soup starts to wane and some begin to say ‘good riddance’. Soup conjures warmth and coziness, but after a rather cold winter, particularly in London, we are ready to break free and bask in open sunlight. This conception of soup, however, is misguided. Nevertheless, perhaps it is time to take an intermission from the soup cauldron that percolates throughout the winter in preparation for lighter, fresher tasting spring and summer soups. In the meantime, what does one do with those leftover soup ingredients and sullen looking winter vegetables found at the bottom of your refrigerator?

In the spirit of both thriftiness and ecological well-being it is shameful to waste ingredients brought forth from the bounty of the earth. As economic earthquakes continue to shudder and shake, many are taking stock of their financial portfolios. As spring approaches, let us take stock of our vegetable bins. Let us take stock in that foundation of so many cuisines across the globe – stock itself. We shall see that stock is not only easy to make and a good use of culinary bric-a-brac, but is also a delicious (and usually healthy) way of adding flavour to dishes year round.

Previously we looked at beverages, more specifically tea, as essentials to cooking. Liquids in generally, however, are such excellent cooking foundations as they are readily absorbed by other ingredients, imparting flavours in a more comprehensive way than herbs and spices do. A stock is simply the process of infusing a liquid – in nearly all cases water – with various flavours to create a harmonious whole that can then be used to enrich other dishes.

The beauty of stocks is that most unappealing bits and bobs can be added to create a delicious flavour. Perhaps that carrot wouldn’t be pleasant eaten raw, but unless it is spoiled by mould or a nasty micro organism – which would be visually evident – a pot of boiling water wont mind zapping up the flavours that are left. Bear in mind, however, when making sustainable use of vegetables on their way out, you must use more than you ordinarily would as the flavours are also rapidly heading for the exit stage. For a classic French/European stock, your ‘mirepoix’ – a combination of onions, carrots, and celery – should generally have a ratio of 2:1 in favour onions. This is, however, a guideline more than a rule and I prefer a ration leaning towards celery in the spring and summer months, giving the stock a fresher and more ‘green’ taste.

Stocks can and should change with the seasons. Altering the mirepoix ratio is one way to mix things up, yet do not fear other ingredients. Spring onions or scallions are a lovely way to add freshness to a summer stock, and can substitute (in part) normal cooking onions, lending a lovely greenish tinge as opposed to the more xanthous hue of a winter stock heavy with yellow onions.

Meat, fish, and poultry, while less carbon intense than vegetables, need not disappear out of ecological guilt. Rather it must be used sparingly and stretched further. Roasts and larger cuts of the beast – in the case of birds or fish, the whole creature – are more sustainable, as less packaging and transport is required to ship them. Along with these environmental benefits, nature has also provided bones and sundry bits of leftover meat to create a delicious stock! Poaching fish or chicken whole is a lovely way to add flavour to a stock, while leaving the meat moist, succulent, and most of all, healthy. After About an hour or so in your stockpot, remove the meat in question, remove from the bones, and place the bones back in the stockpot. You have made excellent use of your time! If time should be an issue, simply use the leftover carcass after a meal for your stock. It is really a matter of throwing the leftovers, roughly chopped vegetable, and water in a pot along with some fresh herbs – also seasonal – and let those ingredients have a party in the pot. The longer you leave them to simmer, the tastier your stock will be. On the question of meat versus fish and chicken stocks – meat stocks (lamb, beef, etc) never need additional fat due to the rich unctuousness added by the bone marrow. Chicken fat also seeps nicely into the stock, adding flavour and a richness, though a small knob of butter won’t do any harm for those craving an especially rich flavour. For fish stock, however, I recommend a knob of butter or perhaps some pancetta to ground the light essence of the sea. Sherry is also a delightful liquid to splash into the simmer pot.

As a result of modern technology, stocks can keep for quite sometime in the freezer, allowing large quantities to go a long way if decanted into smaller containers. At the end of each season, why not prepare a stock for the season ahead? This way, leftovers are used with minimum fuss, leaving you to enjoy cooking in the midst of the season hassle free. Try using your homemade stocks in soups, with Middle Eastern grains like couscous or bulgar, in risotto, casseroles, marinades, or even a stir fry. To embrace globalisation, the spices will give a stock its truly distinctive flavour, a far more sustainable method of integrating cuisines than buying exotic foods imported from long distances. I suggest using mushrooms to ground Asian stocks and Japanese miso is now readily available at many shops and will last for many months.

Hopefully these tips will impart some confidence in your cooking stocks – I wish I could say the same for corporate stocks, but in changing times, good old household economy can benefit your wallet, your environment, and indeed, your health! Stock up!

A Spring Fish Stock

1 whole (bones in) freshwater fish – I find rainbow trout is lovely as it has just enough fat to keep the meat moist. Use whatever freshwater fish is available locally. Fish from the sea usually has a richer taste, hence is better suited for a winter fish stock.

1 onion, peeled and cut in half.

1 rough, but tasty carrot, splintered

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

3-4 spring onions, roughly chopped

A few sprigs of lemon thyme and parsley (flat or curled), and a bay leaf

Minced chives

A splash of sherry or a rustic white wine.

3-ish litres of water, or until the ingredients are well covered.

Place all the ingredients in your stockpot, cover with water, salt liberally, and heat on the hob until boiling. When the water reaches a boil, turn down to a simmer, skimming the foam off the top after about 30 minutes.

After another 30 minutes, remove the whole fish from the stockpot and allow to cool. Skin and fillet the fish, reserving the skin and bones. Use the meat to make something else delicious and place the skin and bones back into the stock. Allow to simmer for another few hours or until the house smells lovely and it tastes just right. You may adjust the salt at any time – just remember to add slowly.

When you deem your stock done, decant into another pot (two pots if one isn’t big enough), through a strainer, capturing the veg, herbs, fishbits, and other floating debris. You should be left with a lovely clear-ish broth tinged with a yellowish-green hue. I find a knob of butter melted in adds just the richness required for this spring stock. If making the stock in the autumn or winter I would add pancetta, lardons, or smoked streaky bacon to the stock from the get go.

Decant into small pots for freezing (if doing so), use throughout the spring, and enjoy! You may saved a carrot or celery stick from a premature trip to the bin…