Saturday, March 8, 2008
I was in the mood for some good old fashioned vegetable soup and immediately realized there was no restaurant around that served it. You know the kind mom use to make. My mother is a master vegetable soup maker. She could whip up a batch of vegetable soup on a cold Saturday afternoon, with cornbread on the side and make a dreary gray day into something spectacular, like a trip to Venice.
I searched and searched a number of recipes in my collection of ancient cookbooks, browsed the Internet and could not find a recipe that even closely resembled the one my mom used, which was more along the line of “dump cookin.” I did note that many recipes called for water or broth and I want to say for the record, neither tends to have much flavor. The primary reason food is tasteless or bland is because no flavor was added to the base of the recipe. Let’s examine the contents of water, broth and stock.
Water:
A generic liquid that exist in every food source; and some may say water has no taste but I beg to differ because if I blindfold you and give you a glass of orange juice, and then a glass of water, you will be able to tell the difference. The issue with water is that it is like a chameleon of sorts, it takes on the flavor of the dominate host it’s paired with. Unfortunately, if the dominate host is flavorless, well you know the rest.
Broth:
Chicken broth is a combination of the meat from the chicken combined with salted water and vegetables, usually boiled. The flavor is not as rich as stock and can be down right bland. Most of the canned broths that you find in grocery stores are not rich in flavor and are heavily salted; although there are some low sodium brands now available.
Stock:
Chicken and beef stock, good old fashioned stock is made from bones, marrow and cartilage. These three items contain collagen, the main ingredient in gelatin. Richly flavored homemade chicken gravy that has been refrigerated forms a gelatinous “gel” over the top of the gravy, this does not usually occur with chicken broth. Stocks are best made from scratch and I have never purchased a can stock that was deserving of my seal of approval.
Why make your stock from scratch? You will never get the taste or intense flavor from a canned product. A stock is made by sautéing the bones of the caucus (i.e. beef bones, chicken necks, backs etc) in your favorite oil with onions, celery and a clove of garlic; browning everything in the pot. The smell will make you crazy, then just when the caramel color has peaked, add your water and bring to a rolling boil; reduce the temperature, skim the foam and place it on a medium low simmer for at least 4-8 hours. This is the process, not the recipe.
Why cook the stock so long? The collagen in the bones will moisten and melt into the water, bringing out the true “essence” of flavor. You will never, ever be able to get this divine flavor in a can. I do not salt my stock I leave that process for later when I am using it in a particular dish.
There are two types of stock, simple and rich. A simple stock is used in soups, stews, and dishes that call for you to simmer food slowly. A rich stock is used when a sauce requires lots of flavor, and a small amount of liquid.
Below is my recipe for making a simple stock.
2 ½ quarts cold water
2 onions, quartered, plus skins
1 large clove garlic, peeled and quartered
2 ribs celery, with leaves, washed and cut into four pieces
Stock can be made with bones and any excess meat or poultry (excluding livers and gizzards), or shells or carcasses from seafood, used in the recipe you’re preparing.
You may also use the following amounts:
For Poultry Stocks:
2 pounds backs, necks, and/or bones from chicken, ducks, or geese
For Beef Stocks:
2 pounds beef shanks or other beef bones
For Pork Stock:
2 pounds pork neck bones or other pork bones (not smoked)
For Seafood Stock:
2 pounds rinsed shrimp heads if you can find them or shells and 1/2-1 pound of dried shrimp (found at most Asian Markets) or crawfish heads or crab shells. You can also use the carcasses of a fish or fish heads if you can find them.
My favorite way to make a stock is to sauté the bones, meat, vegetables in a large stock pot until brown and caramelized. Then add my cold water, enough to cover all the ingredients in the pot. I bring everything to a boil over high heat, then gently simmer at least 4 hours, preferably 6 to 8 if possible, replenishing the water as needed to maintain 1 quart of liquid in the stock pot. Remember to skim off any foam. Partially cover the pot with the lid while it simmers. When your stock is finished, strain and cool it and store in plastic containers with lids in the freezer until needed. Cooking your stock for 30-45 minutes is better than using plain water, some flavor is better than none at all.
If you want to make a richer stock, do not add any more water and allow your stock to simmer and reduce down to 1 pint (16-ounces) this stock will have an intense flavor.
You know I cannot end a blog without a recipe and here is my favorite red sauce Creole Smoked Sausage Sauce. The recipe makes about 3 cups and I use it when I am in a pinch and need to dress up a meal. Use this sauce over scrambled eggs, omelets, rice, mashed potatoes, chicken livers, fried fish, take your pick and let your imagination run wild.
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup smoked pork sausage, diced (substitute beef or turkey)
1 cup onions, chopped fine
1 cup celery, chopped fine
½ cup sweet bell pepper, chopped fine
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (use fresh if in season)
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon carrot, minced fine*
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon ground thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
½-1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (if you like your sauce hot add 1 teaspoon)
½ teaspoon black pepper
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions, celery, bell peppers, bay leaf; then add the garlic and all the other seasonings; stir thoroughly. Sauté until the onions begin to turn brown about 7 minutes. Stir in the sausage and sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Add the can of diced tomatoes, hot sauce and the tablespoon of minced carrot. Stir and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
*Some tomato sauce recipes call for sugar; I use carrot that is finely minced. It works just as well if not better taking the bitter edge off any tomato based sauced.
**If you do not want to use sausage you may substitute one large peeled, diced eggplant. The sauce takes on a whole new meaning and the flavor is divine.