Stock is a liquid made by simmering animal bones
or meat, seafood or vegetables in water with spices
and herbs. It is used to prepare soups and some
sauces, and is an essential pantry ingredient.
But store-bought preparations may contain up to
half your daily sodium recommendation in a single
cup. When you make your own stock, build flavour
with classic spices and herbs instead of all that salt.
And, depending on the ingredients you add, it may
cost less money than buying commercial stock.
Homemade stock delivers nutrition as well as
taste. It is an excellent source of niacin—a B vitamin
that helps your body convert food into energy—as
well as small amounts of potassium, zinc and iron.
You can control the fat content by removing any
that comes to the surface after cooling, and control
the salt content by simply not adding any.
It’s fun to exercise your stock options as a cook.
Use it as the base for soups, sauces and casseroles.
Keep a pot simmering on the back burner and
slowly add it to your favourite risotto recipe.
Use it instead of water when you boil and
mash potatoes. Add a pinch of turmeric
and ginger to a steaming mugful and sip it
when cold and flu season hits.
It may not be the cure, but it sure will
be a comfort. | a
Stock up
WRITTEN BY KAREN ANDERSON
PHOTOGRAPHED BY SALT FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
STYLED BY SAVORY PALATE CONSULTING
A hot stock tip
To make a clear stock, make sure to simmer—not
boil—the stock. If you boil it, proteins from the
bones coagulate and make the stock cloudy. Use
whole spices and herbs, as ground versions may
also cloud the stock.
What’s the difference between
stock and bone broth?
Bone broth is stock that is left to
simmer longer, so the gelatin in the
bones has time to seep out and
create a thick liquid. Stocks simmer
for two hours. Bone broths, however,
may simmer for six to 18 hours and
the bones may also be roasted in the
oven and browned before simmering.
FOOD SIGHT
