DIY Saturday – Making stock

Chicken stock

You need

• A leftover chicken carcass
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 chopped leeks
• a large chopped onion
• 2 chopped celery stalks
• 5 peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 teaspoons each of fresh flat-leaf parsley and thyme
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

Place all the ingredients in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum from the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for three hours. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and refrigerate or freeze once cool. Use as needed.

Beef Stock

You need

• 2kg beef bones (choose large marrow bones)
• 20ml olive oil
• 1 quartered onion
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 1 chopped leek
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 5 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 peppercorns
• Some fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley

Method

Preheat the oven to 200, place all the beef bones in a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes until well browned.

Add the vegetables and roast for further 20 minutes. Transfer the bones and veg to a large pot, add the other ingredients and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 4 hours, skimming off the scum from the surface.

Strain your stock through a fine sieve and gently press to extract all the liquid from the vegetables. Refrigerate or freeze once cool. Use as needed.

Fish stock

To make a fish stock, use the chicken stock recipe but replace the carcass with 1kg fish bones. Add some lemon peel to the pot before covering with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes before straining through a fine sieve. Refrigerate or freeze once cool and use as needed. This recipe makes about 2 cups of stock.

Vegetable stock

You need

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 5 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 2 finely chopped leeks
• 2 finely chopped carrots
• 2 finely chopped celery stalks
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves
• 5 peppercorns
• Some fresh flat-leaf parsley and thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste  

Method

Heat the butter and oil in a large pot and sauté the vegetables. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 litres of water and bring to the boil. Skim off the scum.

Reduce the heat and add the other ingredients. Simmer for an hour then strain the liquid through a fine sieve and gently press the solids to extract all the liquid. Refrigerate or freeze once cool and use as needed.

Tips: Fresh stock can be stored in the fridge for three days and will keep in the freezer for up to six months. Freeze it in small, labelled containers.