The Ultimate Rice Cooker (83 page)
2. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain it. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Discard the bones and meat. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
Game bird or rabbit stock is very much like poultry stock in flavor and viscosity. It is quite delicate and very delicious in pilafs and risottos. It is a must if a member of your family is a hunter, and game stock is a great way to use up the extra trimmings, flesh, and bones after boning the breasts. Since most game birds are quite small, you can accumulate bones by keeping them in resealable plastic bags in the freezer. While here you will brown the vegetables first, never brown game or poultry bones; they will lose a lot of flavor. This stock is best made with only one type of game at a time to avoid muddling the flavor.
YIELD: About 2 quarts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into quarters
2 carrots, cut into chunks
4 stalks celery, with leaves
5 pounds duck, pheasant, or small game bird (like chukar or quail) backs, necks, wings, and trimmings, or rabbit carcass and bones
3 sprigs fresh parsley, with stems
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 black peppercorns
1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the game, herbs, peppercorns, and water to cover by 2 inches. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3 hours, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface a few times with a large spoon.
2. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain it. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Discard the bones and meat. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
White stock is made with veal and chicken bones, making a much more light-colored and delicately flavored stock than one made with beef. It is the savory delight of the country kitchen and can be used in place of chicken stock in recipes. Beth buys chicken breasts for dinner, bones them herself, and keeps the raw bones in plastic freezer bags until making the stock. This is a recipe adapted from the 1957 edition of
The Gourmet Cookbook
compiled by the original publisher and creator of the magazine devoted to good eating, Earle R. MacAusland.
YIELD: About 2½ quarts
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 leek, white and green parts, washed well and chopped
3 stalks celery, with leaves
2 veal knuckles
4 to 6 chicken half-breast bones (left over from boning breast fillets)
4 sprigs fresh parsley, with stems
6 black peppercorns
1. In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, leek, and celery and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the veal knuckles, chicken bones, parsley, peppercorns, and water to cover by 2 inches. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3 hours, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface.
2. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Discard the bones and solids. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
If you thought that a pure vegetable stock is a new invention by vegetarians, think again. Known as
fond de légumes
in French, vegetable stock is a wonderfully old-fashioned aromatic combination of mild herbs and vegetables, with a decidedly neutral taste. When evaluating a vegetable stock recipe, note that vegetables that have assertive flavors—cabbage, turnips, green peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower, should be avoided; they will overpower your stock. Potatoes make a stock murky from their starch, and anything like beets or tomatoes will instantly tint your stock a brilliant, earthy color, which is usually undesirable. Use fresh vegetables; old vegetables will not make such a nice tasting stock.
YIELD: About 2 quarts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
3 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
2 leeks, white and green parts, washed well and chopped
1 medium-size carrot, cut into chunks
1 medium-size parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
1 small bunch celery, with leaves, stalks pulled apart and bottoms trimmed
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 or 2 ears fresh corn (optional), husked, kernels cut off and reserved for another dish, and cobs broken into pieces
6 sprigs fresh parsley, with stems
Few strands fresh chives or green onions
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half horizontally
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram
6 black peppercorns
1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add the onions, leeks, carrot, parsnip, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, corn, parsley, chives, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1½ hours.
2. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain it. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
This is a variation on the plain vegetable stock, which I find very aromatic and perfect for making rice that will be served with prawns or chicken, even a Chinese-style paella. The addition of fresh-tasting cilantro (also known as Chinese parsley or fresh coriander), a few broken points of licorice-scented star anise (a favorite seasoning for Asian broths), and slices of spicy fresh ginger make a stock that is still quite delicately flavored. Aromatic Szechuan peppercorns, used in place of black peppercorns, are the dried berries of a shrub rather than a true pepper. They are pan-toasted to bring out their flavor and fragrance.
YIELD: About 2 quarts
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half horizontally
6 thin slices fresh ginger, unpeeled
3 carrots, cut into chunks
1 small bunch celery, with leaves, stalks pulled apart and bottoms trimmed
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, with stems
½ star anise
1 large or 2 small dried shiitake mushrooms
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onions, green onions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, fresh mushrooms, soy sauce, and water to cover by 2 inches. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, place the peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, until they smell fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add to the stock along with the cilantro, anise, dried mushrooms, and white pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1½ hours, partially covered, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface.
3. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain it. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
Fish stock is very fast to make; only about half an hour of simmering is needed to get a nicely flavored stock. Be sure to use only the bones of mild white fish, not oily fish like salmon, or else the stock will be too strong. A good alternative to homemade fish stock is to use one part bottled clam juice mixed with two parts chicken broth.
YIELD: About 1½ quarts
Heads and bones of 2 red snappers or other mild white fish (about 2½ pounds), rinsed in cold water and gills removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-size yellow onion, sliced
1 leek, white and green parts, washed well and chopped
3 stalks celery, with leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup dry white wine
½ small bunch fresh parsley, with stems
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 black peppercorns
1. In a stockpot, combine the bones and butter over medium-high heat. Cover and steam for about 4 minutes. Add the vegetables, cover, and steam for another 4 minutes. Add water to cover by 2 inches, the wine, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook at a rapid simmer for about 35 minutes.
2. Remove the cover and let the stock cool to lukewarm. Line a large colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl; carefully pour the stock through to strain it. Press the vegetables to extract all the liquid and discard. Divide the stock into airtight plastic freezer storage containers, leaving 2 inches at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer. The stock is ready for use and can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days, or frozen for 3 to 6 months.
Dashi is a quick all-purpose quick clear stock that is the heart of Japanese-style cooking. Made properly it is described as tasting of the sea. It calls for kombu seaweed (also called kombu), which is a thick dried kelp that is an essential ingredient in Japanese broths, and bonito flakes, pale pink shavings made from dried bonito fish fillets. Look for the seaweed and bonito flakes in an Asian grocery or the Asian food section of a well-stocked supermarket. Dashi is so quick to make that you can make it fresh each time you need it. Beth likes her version with one dried shiitake mushroom added.
YIELD: About 1 quart
4 cups cold water
1 sheet (1 ounce) kombu seaweed 3 to 4 inches square, wiped clean with a damp cloth and soaked in cold water in the refrigerator overnight
⅓ cup dried bonito flakes
1. Place the water in a medium saucepan. Add the kombu. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low (if the water continues to boil, the stock will not be totally clear) and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bonito flakes and stir. Turn off the heat and let stand for 2 minutes to allow the bonito flakes to settle. Skim off any foam.