Stock is a kind of flavored liquid. It is used as basis for many dishes like soups and sauces. It is prepared by boiling various ingredients in water such as bones, herbs and different kind of spices. In other words, it is strained fluid that we get after cooking different vegetables, any kind of meat or fish with some other elements in water and it is fundamental element of the most of the soups and sauces.
There are different types of stock some good for general use and other used in special dishes but whether they are of any kind, they all use same simmering procedure to extract the real flavor from their elements.
Main types of stock
White stock: - It is clear and nearly colorless liquid made by simmering poultry, beef, and fish bones with a collection of spices and herbs and water.
Brown Stock: - it is yellowish-brown liquid made by primary browning poultry, beef, veal, or bones with herbs, spices and vegetables.
Fumet: - it is flavored stock made with mainly fish bones. The stock is made by using the sweating process. The vegetables are gradually cooked earlier than the bones and water are added.
Court Bouillon: - it is aromatic vegetable soup that also contains some amount of wine or vinegar. It is usually used for poaching fish. It can also be used to cook vegetables particularly those that will be served or marinated for special use.
Essence: - it is quite similar to fumet but it uses very aromatic goods such as celery or mushrooms.
Glace: - it is a kind of reduced stock. As a consequence of constant reduction, it is like jelly and has syrupy consistency and its flavor becomes highly resolute. It is mainly serve as a sauce base or can be used to increase the quantity of other food.
Remouillage: - it a stock made from bones particularly that have already been used. The second stock is not as strong as the first batch. It is usually reduced to make a glace. It can be used to replace water in the making of stock.
Broth or Bouillon: - it is kind of liquid that outcomes from simmering meats. Bouillon is simply the French term for broth.. Bouillon may be used as a soup or base for stews and braises.
The uses of stock: - the three main uses of stock are
· As base for many soups and sauces.
· As base for many stews and braises.
· As a cooking medium for some vegetable and grains.
Basic ingredients of stock:-
Meats and bones: - Any kinds of meats and bones can be used to cook stock like chicken, beef or fish.
Fish: - In some stock fish can be used instead of any other kinds of meat.
Vegetables: - vegetable are also very important part of some kinds of stocks. Most popular vegetables suitable for stocks are onions, leeks, carrots and celery.
Always fresh vegetable should be used to get better taste, some vegetables such as potatoes and peas can result cloudy stock and should be avoided. The vegetable should be trimmed and cut into the suitable size.
Herbs and spices: - For mouth wondering aroma and taste some herbs and spices must be used in stock. Sault and peppercorns are used normally and sometimes also mace. Herbs that are used in stock are rosemary, tarragon, marjoram and also lemon. Bouquet garni is a mixture of fresh vegetables and herbs that typically contain fresh thyme, parsley stems, a celery stock, and a bay leaf, tied into a small bundle with cheesecloth and a small piece of string. This is then attached to the stockpot handle and is placed in the stock while cooking. It should be removed and disregarded after stock is done cooking.
Liquid: - Water is the most frequently used liquid for cooking stock. Sometimes wine can be also used for special stocks. The liquid that we are going to add should be cold. The ratio of liquid to flavoring ingredient is important for the positive outcomes.
The detailed process of making stock:-
The preparing the bones:-The bones must be in the accurate size for a particular stock and be blanched or sweated depending upon the kind of stock that is being made.
Blanching Bones:-. Frozen bones for that are used particularly for white stocks are usually blanched to take out any impurity that might make cloudy the refined stock.
1) Put the bones in a stock pot.
2) Cover all the bones with cold water.
3) Boil this mixture, and skim the surface as needed.
4) Once a full boil is done, drain the bones through the sieve and allow the water to drain away through a spigot.
5) Rinse the bones carefully to get rid of any debris or froth.
6) Follow the remaining steps.
Browning the Bones and Mirepoix:- The bones sometimes may be browned on the stovetop when working with small amounts. A large quantity of bones may be more proficiently browned with the use of oven, which helps in more browning with gives less chance of scorching.
1) Prepare the mirepoix and store.
2) Prehat oven to 400.F.
3) Rinse the bones and dry them well.
4) Place a slim coating of oil in a pan, and place over heat or in the oven to Preheat.
5) After that add the bones in a single coating. Cook until consistently browned, stirring or turning as needed.
6) Shift the bones to the stockpot and continue with remaining recipe.
7) Place the mirepoix in the same pan that is used for the bones. Cook until consistently browned. Stir occasionally. Add tomato product after the mirepoix has browned. Allow the tomato product to brown. Reserve the browned mirepoix and add to the stock during the last hour of cooking time.
8) Deglaze the pan with water and add to stock.
Sweating Bones or Shells: - Bones or shells are used in fumets. The proteins that are present in fish bones and shellfish can sometimes turn into an unacceptable flavor if is being cooked to long. Sweating is a process that that allow flavor release rapidly. The stock can be cooked in less than 45 minutes, with full extraction of body and flavor.
1. Heat a small amount of oil or clarified butter in a stockpot.
2. Add the bones or shells and mirepoix.
3. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the flesh on the bones turns opaque, or the shells have a bright color, and the moisture is released from the mirepoix.
Basic Preparation Method:-although the ingredients may differ the fundamental preparation for making stock always same. Once the main ingredients have undergone all preliminary steps such as blanching, sweating, or browning, all stocks, essences, fumets, and court bouillons are prepared the same way.
1) Mix all the key flavoring ingredients with cold liquids and bring to a simmer. The stock will leave some scum to the surface as it begins to cook. This should be skimmed away by time to time to make a clear and good flavored stock.
2) Add the mirepoix and other aromatics at the appropriate time. Add them at the starting of cooking of stocks, fumets, essences, and court bouillons simmered for less than one hour.
3) Simmer for suitable time. Developing a good flavor, aroma, color, and body.
4) Drain the stock with the help of a sieve or colander into a container for cooling. A stock's clarity is preserved in a better way if the major flavoring ingredients and mirepoix are disturbed as little as possible. If the pot does not have a spigot, ladle the stock from the pot rather than pouring it through a sieve. This is much safer because it is less likely to spill or splash hot liquid. Disregard the bones and aromatics
http://www.thecookinginn.com/tcirecipes/stocks.html
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/basicstocks.htm
http://www.pipscookingschool.com.au/soups-stocks-cooking-classes.asp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/cooks_guide/stocks.shtml