Stock

Stock can be a really simple way to boost the flavour of your dish. A really great stock can change something from being just OK, to incredible. And it loves to be stored in the freezer.

A stock is basically a flavourful liquid used as a base for cooking other things. You can buy instant powdered stock which you just add water to, or you can buy liquid stock, or you can make your own. Usually it is simmering the bones and/or meat from an animal, along with some veges and spices.

Depending on what you are making, stock can take anywhere from 1 hour simmering to a couple of days. Yes, that it is possible, but not really usual. I like to simmer chicken stock slowly for a long time, and it becomes really rich.

I freeze stock in measured amounts, so you can just take one out of the freezer in the size you need for a recipe. Usual sizes I freeze in is 1/2 cup, 1 cup and 2 cups. In Australia, 2 cups is half a litre. Another way to do this is to freeze in ice trays, and then when frozen pop them into a bag in the freezer.

Having said this, if you are limited with freezer space and can’t be bothered trying to fit in litres of vege, chicken, beef, lamb and maybe even pork stock, I’d stick with the most useful one, chicken.

A tip I learnt from my brother when making chicken stock is to not add all the veges you might usually think of when you make stock. Make it just chicken, and then you can add other flavours later. His theory is that you might want to use chicken stock for an asian dish, of which carrot, celery, onion and bay leaves have no place in. Or you might want to make a western meal that the presence of lemongrass, cloves and star anise might otherwise compete unfavourably with the other ingredients.

Vege stock was the base of a soup that was a delicious cheap lunch to take to work.

When you feel a cold coming on, just defrost some stock, add in some veges and spices, and you have a flu-fighting-soup to help you get better. Or transform your average risotto into a delicious rich hearty meal.