The Stock Market

Slowly bring the stock to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Leave it uncovered for the entire cooking process. The more the stock reduces, the more intense its final flavor.

Fish stock is simmered for 30-40 minutes, vegetable for 45 to 60 minutes, chicken for 4-5 hours, and beef or veal for 6-8 hours, (even though 4 hour beef stock still tastes pretty darn good).

Skim the stock frequently to remove fat and other impurities that float to the surface. When it's finished strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve.

If you're not using it immediately, immerse the pot of stock in ice water in your sink before refrigerating. Rapid cooling reduces the chance of bacterial growth. To eliminate as much of the fat as possible you may want to refrigerate it first no matter what you're intended use is.

The next day most of the fat will have congealed on the surface, making for easy removal. I save 1-2 cup portions of the stock in plastic containers in the freezer for future sauce making.

Try this sauce with your next meat dish. After you've roasted or sautéed your meat, remove it from the pan. Place the pan over a high flame and pour in a cup of wine.

Scrape off all the flavorful brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan as the wine comes to a boil. (This is what's known as deglazing). Add one cup of stock, a few garlic cloves, herbs, salt and pepper.

Simmer the sauce until it's reduced to at least half the original volume. Melt in some butter at the end, strain the sauce, and pour it over your meat for comfort food heaven. For a thicker sauce, you can reduce it even further, or thicken it with flour, corn starch or arrowroot.

For an advanced technique, take about a quart of your finished stock and simmer it until it decreases to a syrupy consistency. You will have an intensely flavored concoction known as glace de viande.

Pour it into ice cube cups and store in your freezer. When making a sauce, drop one of these flavor bombs into it for a depth and complexity of flavor unknown to most mortals.

As stated, stocks form the foundation of many soups. If I'm making beef vegetable or chicken soup, I will shred pieces of the meat I used to make the stock and add them to the soup.

However, actual pieces of meat are not included in some soups either by choice or design. In these instances you will discard the stock-making ingredients. It may seem like a waste to throw out the meat but remember, most of its flavor and substance has been infused into the stock.

Give the leftover meat to your cat or dog. Never reuse the vegetables from making stock to make soup. They have been completely depleted. Always add fresh vegetables.

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