The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (135 page)

With a few simple ingredients, some basic kitchen equipment, and a little planning, wonderful stock is easy to make at home.

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Use meat and bones to make a stock; if you use only bones, that’s exactly what the stock will end up tasting like.

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The stockpot should be tall and narrow enough to keep the ingredients snug; too much space causes the flavorful liquid to evaporate rather than extracting the full flavor from the ingredients.

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Don’t rush stock; it takes 3 to 4 hours to release all the flavor from the bones.

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Add enough cold water to cover the ingredients by 1 or 2 inches—no more, or the stock may be too watery. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat right away so the liquid barely simmers (use a metal trivet or a flame tamer). Letting the stock boil too long can result in greasy, off flavors; all that churning makes the fat released from the bones and meat emulsify with the water.

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As the stock gently simmers, a thin skin of impurities will form on the surface. Skim this skin off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Skim the stock every 30 minutes. When the liquid falls below the level of the bones, add cold water.

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Strained and cooled, stock keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. Once it’s refrigerated, a layer of fat develops on top of the stock; skim it off with a spoon, and discard. If you freeze the stock, leave the fat intact as a seal; remove it before using.

fish stock

MAKES ABOUT 2½ QUARTS

Because this fish stock freezes well, you can double the recipe; use one batch, and freeze the second one for later use.

4 pounds heads and bones of non-oily fish, such as sole, flounder, snapper, or bass

2 dried bay leaves

8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 bunch fresh thyme

½ bunch fresh tarragon

1½ teaspoons whole fennel seeds

8 whole black peppercorns

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large leek, white and pale-green parts, quartered and sliced ¼ inch thick, well washed

1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

8 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean, cut into ¼-inch dice

2 medium carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice

2 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch dice

½ fennel bulb, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 cup dry white wine

1.
Remove the gills and any blood from the fish heads; thoroughly wash the bones, and cut them to fit in a 12-quart stockpot. Tie the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, tarragon, fennel seeds, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside.

2.
Melt the butter in the stockpot over medium heat; add the leek, onion, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and fennel, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high, and add the fish heads and bones. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, bouquet garni, and 2½ quarts water, just covering the bones. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, skim, and let stock simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off heat; let sit for 10 minutes.

3.
Prepare an ice-water bath. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl; set the bowl in the ice bath to cool. Use within 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months.

dashi

SERVES 4

Dashi is a simple stock integral to Japanese cooking. The broth is used in both cold and hot soups and is delicious warm, all on its own. The ingredients may be found at an Asian grocer.

1 2-inch piece of kombu seaweed

2 tablespoons bonito flakes (fish flakes)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

Juice of ¼ lime

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Wipe off the kombu, add to the boiling water, and let boil for 3 minutes. Add the bonito flakes, remove from the heat, and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain, then add the soy sauce, mirin, and lime juice; serve hot or chilled. Dashi should be used within a few hours.

MEDITERRANEAN FISH STOCK

To infuse your fish stock with the flavors of the Mediterranean, add one or more of the following ingredients: ½ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads, 6 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon toasted fennel or cumin seeds, 3 garlic cloves, 20 shrimp shells, or the zest of 1 orange.

lobster stock

MAKES ABOUT 3 QUARTS

Use this stock as a base for dishes such as seafood chowder, bisque, stew, and risotto.

Shells from 4 cooked lobsters, including carapaces

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small onions, quartered

2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered (optional)

1 can (14½ ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, chopped, including juice

2 cups dry white wine (optional)

8 whole black peppercorns

6 fresh thyme sprigs

6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf

1.
Remove the head sacs (behind the eyes) in the carapaces; discard. Remove any green tomalley or red roe; reserve for another use or discard. Wrap the shells in a clean kitchen towel. Using a rolling pin, meat pounder, or hammer, break the shells (some large pieces might remain).

2.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shells; cook until fragrant (do not let blacken), about 3 minutes.

3.
Stir in the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and fennel (if desired). Cook, without stirring, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine (if desired), peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf.

4.
Fill the pot two-thirds with cold water (about 4½ quarts). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. Skim the froth from the surface with a ladle. Cook until the broth is aromatic and flavorful, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

5.
Carefully pour the stock through a fine sieve set over a large bowl or container. Discard the solids; let stock cool completely. If not using immediately, refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months.

SAUCES, SPREADS, SPICES

hollandaise sauce

MAKES 1 CUP

3 large egg yolks

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Coarse salt

1.
In the top of a double boiler or in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks with 1½ tablespoons water, whisking vigorously, until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice.

2.
Slowly whisk in the melted butter until thickened. Season with salt. Serve the sauce immediately, or keep warm over very gently simmering water, whisking occasionally.

béchamel sauce

MAKES 1 QUART

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced shallot

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk

1 dried bay leaf

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (from 3 ounces)

1.
In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, and cook until translucent, without browning, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Reduce heat to as low as possible.

2.
Add the flour in thirds, whisking constantly. When fully incorporated, cook, whisking, without browning, until the sauce thickens, bubbles, and does not taste floury.

3.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, and immediately remove from the heat. Add the hot milk to the flour mixture in thirds, whisking constantly. The texture should be thick, with no lumps. Add the bay leaf; continue to cook about 8 minutes over low heat.

4.
Strain through a sieve; add the cheese while the béchamel is still hot. Season with salt and pepper. Once at room temperature, the sauce may be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the sauce, in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rewarm in the top of a double boiler over 1 inch simmering water.

vietnamese dipping sauce

MAKES 1½ CUPS

Known as
nuoc cham,
this Vietnamese table sauce is used to season dumplings, soups, and noodle dishes.