Stocks

When it comes to making something, creating a dish, following a recipe, menu design, etc., I've always led my culinary career by two simple rules.  Rule #1:  There is no one right way to do anything.  Rule #2:  The only right way to do anything is the way of that restaurant in which you are currently working. 

As we start talking about the concept of food, I find it only fitting that we start "at the top."  The beginning to every basic cooking technique and general source for all things culinary.  The basics.  The building blocks.  The foundation.  Strong foundation.  Strong house.  Stocks represent and exemplify all criteria.

I began my culinary career at the California Culinary Academy, San Francisco in the winter of 1998.  I remember my first homework assignment....read the chapter about stocks from our textbook "On Cooking."  I remember the first sentence of the first paragraph I ever read.  "Stock means life."

Stocks are the base for any soup, sauce, (including Mother Sauces), poaching liquids, reductions......anything that gives body, flavor, and balance to a dish.  Stocks enhance and tie in every ingredient and component within that desired cuisine.  What's a meal without a great sauce?  Stock means life.  It is true to this day; and a perfect jumping off point towards our numerous culinary discussions. 

For all intensive purposes, there are four main examples of stocks: chicken, veal, vegetable and fish.  Cooking time varies for each.....depending on what you're going for.  A vegetable stock takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.  A veal stock cooks over night. 

However, in a general sense, you can make a stock from just about anything.  Shrimp, lobster, mushroom, duck.....anything that evokes the base flavor of what you want to highlight.  All you need are four essential ingredients. 1) The source, i.e. bones, shells, mushroom stems, vegetables, etc.  2) Mirepoix.  3) Aromatics.  4) Liquid.

First, the source of the sought after flavor should be the starring role.  If you're making a chicken soup, then chicken bones act as that source ingredient.  The source gives the stock its' main flavor.  It should be the focal point.  As the components come together during the cooking process, it is important to emphasize and treat the source as such.  A strong chicken flavor makes a great chicken soup.

A standard mirepoix is a measured ratio of root vegetables.  50% onions.  25% carrots.  25% celery.  I say "standard" because there are other examples of mirepoix.  Using the same ratio of onions, carrots, and bell peppers which is referred to as "The Holy Trinity", is a staple in Cajun and Creole cuisine.  Gumbos, jambalaya's and dirty rice use "The Holy Trinity" as their base.

The third component to a stock are the aromatics.  Called a bouquet garnish, garlic, black peppercorns, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and other fresh herbs are encased in cheesecloth and tied with butcher's twine.  Aromatics gives the stock it's floral scent and enhances the complexity.

Our fourth ingredient is liquid.  A liquid is used to marry all the components of the stock together.  It also serves as an agent to the cooking method being used to make the stock.  In most cases, water is used.  However, other liquids can be used to help intensify and manipulate the over all flavor.  For example, instead of water, use another stock instead.  This is commonly known as a double stock.

Never add salt to a stock.  Salt leaches the blood from the bones you are using...thus adding additional unwanted impurities to the stock.  Impurities, such as blood from the bones and dirt from the vegetables, make the stock cloudy and defeats the propose of what you're trying to accomplish.  Be careful.  Wash all vegetables thoroughly. 

Secondly, if you add salt to a stock, the salt deposits will concentrate during the cooking process and make the stock salty.  You're looking for a neutral stock in terms of flavor.  Remember, the stock is the base.  Once the base is neutral, you can add and layer flavor to your desired end product.  Never boil a stock.

Later on this year, I will do a live cooking demo (via on line camera) towards the fundamentals of stock making.  For now, I will take what we discussed and apply this rhetoric to a more practical stand point.  As a reminder, Rule #1:  There is no one right way to make anything.  Some of you make stocks differently from me.  But this is how I do it. 

Below is a recipe for a light chicken stock.  There are two kinds of chicken stock, light and dark.  For a dark chicken stock, simply roast the bones and mirepoix in a pan first....deglazing with white wine to catch the natural juices and flavor from roasting said ingredients.  Adding these components to the other ingredients will give the dark chicken stock it's color. 

Chicken Stock:

Yields 4-5 Quarts

1 Whole Chicken, bones/carcass
1 Large Carrot, peeled, large dice
2 Celery Stalks, large dice
2 Large Onions, large dice
1 Leek, white part only, thoroughly washed, large dice
3 ea. Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 tsp. Black Peppercorns
4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1 bun. Parsley Stems
1 ea. Bay Leaf
6 Quarts Water, enough to cover

Procedure:

1)  In a large stock pot, combine the chicken bones and six quarts of water.  Add the leeks.  Leeks contain a protein enzyme that, when broken down during cooking, gives the finished chicken stock more of a gelatinous feel and texture.  This will be ideal when preparing thick, rich sauces.  Bring the contents to a simmer over a low heat.

2)  With a spoon or ladle, gently skim any impurities (white foam, gray or black specks) that may rise to the top of the pot while the stock is simmering.  This is called "skimming the scum".  Continue this process for 30 minutes.  You should start to see a clear liquid begin to form.

3)  Add the mirepoix and contents of the bouquet garnish....garlic, black peppercorns, parsley stems, fresh thyme, bay leaf, etc. Personally, I just throw all aromatics in without the use of a cheesecloth since you're going to strain the stock when it is finished anyway.  Continue skimming the scum throughout.

4)  Cook over a low heat for 3-4 hours....checking periodically that the stock does not boil.  The finished product should be a nice, clear liquid with a beautiful golden hue.

5)  Strain the stock over a cheesecloth wrapped chinois into a container.

6)  Chill the stock in an ice water bath.  Wrap and label.