A note from Chef Joyce Doughty…I studied French cooking techniques at Le Cordon Bleu and I appreciate the rigorous instruction I received in classical cooking. But practically speaking, there are times when one must put on a simpler hat which will still yield wonderful outcomes. That is true when speaking of stocks. There are cookbooks devoted to the complexities of making a delicious stock. But for our purposes we are going straight to the practical.
Soups are generally already under construction and defined by the ingredients you have on hand. It may be just a matter of bringing a couple of already-made ingredients together under a theme and adding one or two fresh ingredients. Voila, you have made an excellent soup. In some cases, you may never be able to duplicate it but there will always be more great ingredients to work with.
In an ideal kitchen, the stock should be a product that is continuously underway. Here’s what I mean by that. There should be a container in your fridge that collects bits and pieces of raw, fresh vegetables throughout the week. This can be ends of onions or onions that were partially used. It can be celery ends, carrot ends and peels, peppers, squash, asparagus ends, cabbage cores, tough broccoli stems, parsley, etc. Once you have about a quart of bits and pieces, then it’s time to make a stock. OR…if you don’t have an accumulation of vegetables, you can simply cut some that are fresh and whole. If you enjoy meats in your diet and frequently have bones after a meal (whether chicken, pork or beef) then take those bones and slip them in a plastic storage bag and toss them in the freezer. Those bones can become part of your stock.
Stock 101
How to make your simplified home stock
Put all those bits and pieces of vegetables referred to on the prior page in a large or medium-sized saucepan. If you want to try and brown all those ingredients in a little oil, then do so with a strong heat. Browning will help develop the flavor and color of the stock and make it a little darker, if that is something you want, but it is not necessary. Cover the vegetables with water and add an extra two or three inches of water beyond the vegetable level. Add a bay leaf and a whole clove of garlic. If you want to add meat to this stock, then add any frozen bones to the pot (you may need a bigger pot) and, again, make sure there is enough water to cover everything at least two or three inches beyond the level of solid food.
At this point take everything to a burner, bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low or medium and simmer until the water level reaches the level of the vegetables. Stir the contents of the pan periodically to stimulate and release the flavor of all the ingredients. When enough water has evaporated, you will have a reduction and the base for a great soup. Set a colander or large strainer over a bowl and pour the cooked stock ingredients into the colander.
Allow the stock to drip into the bowl pressing the vegetables to get every drop. Cool the stock and then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Discard the cooked vegetable scraps and bones.
If you are not using the stock in the next day or two, then transfer it to a quart jar or another container better suited to accommodate the amount of liquid you have created. Stocks that are made with meat and bones will develop a thin layer of fat as they chill. That layer serves to insulate the stock from spoilage and adds to its shelf-life in the fridge. Leave it on until you are ready to use the stock, at which time you can then peel or spoon it off. At this point your stock could also be frozen for future use.
You now have a flavorful base to use for your soup. And it is a base which means you can customize it in any way. You can add some tomato product, herbs, Asian flavorings, whatever will complement the theme of your soup. If you are not able to make your own stock then simply use a favorite store-bought broth. Or, if you don’t have enough of the homemade stock, extend it with the store-bought.
Clear Broth Soups
Here are some examples of extemporaneous soups made with your great stock. It helps to give your soup a theme. That way specific ingredients will come to mind in the process.
- Southwestern-style soup might start by adding a little tomato to the broth. For vegetables, consider carrots, chopped peppers, summer squashes, beans or hominy, and perhaps some cumin or coriander. Then garnish with cilantro, avocado and tortilla strips or rice.
- Asian-style might include the addition of some oyster sauce or hoisin in the broth and then some ginger or lemongrass for further flavor. Add any vegetable that would appear in an Asian stir-fry; include a splash of a fresh ingredient like cilantro, lime juice or a fresh chili. At the end of the cooking period, add some precooked, leftover noodles or rice, but just at the end. Those ingredients can bloat if they spend too much time in broth. Taste for salt and sweet. For a sweet and sour soup, the ratio is 1:1 of sweet and sour, the sour coming from rice vinegar and tamarind and the sweet from sugars, honey or molasses, or any sweetener.
- Creamy-style Asian soup simply needs some coconut milk added to the stock. Potatoes and carrots are frequently used in Thai and Vietnamese soups and these ingredients should be cut and added to the broth and coconut milk and allowed to cook in that delicious liquid. Other quick-cooking vegetables can be added towards the latter part of cooking. Taste for salt and sweet. Again, the sweetener can be brown or white sugar or honey and molasses.
- Mediterranean-style soup can easily be created by adding some leftover kidney beans or garbanzo beans, leftover spaghetti sauce, perhaps some leftover summer squashes and a splash of fresh herbs or maybe some Worcestershire sauce. In this case, you might want to add some leftover cooked pasta. Garnish with Parmesan or another hard cheese.
- Indian-style soup will definitely need to start with the addition of some Indian spices to create a distinct and authentic foundation, then add a legume such as lentils or split peas or chickpeas or a combination of legumes. Taste to make sure that the Indian flavors are well pronounced and coming through the addition of any added legumes and vegetables. Finish with some cilantro and perhaps a splash of cream.
Hungry for more? Check out Chef doughty’s book; The Chef Within Dinner Edition. Find more information and order your copy online here:
https://www.thechefwithinbook.com/bookstore/dinner-book
Meet Chef Doughty
We know her as part owner of Silvercreek Realty Group and the smiling face behind the brokerage accounting department, but did you know that Joyce Doughty has an affinity for culinary arts?
Chef Doughty is a successful food writer and restaurateur who hosted the nationally syndicated daily Public Radio food program “Food for Thought” for 17 years and was also host of the local ABC affiliate morning program “In the Kitchen” highlighting practical recipes and techniques for the kitchen. Recipient of the James Beard Foundation Top Three Chefs in Idaho Award and owner and chef of Idaho’s critically acclaimed Doughty’s Bistro. Chef Doughty was trained at Le Cordon Bleu and received her executive chef certification from the American Culinary Foundation.
