ChefBenDiaz

- Stock's are the foundation on which kitchens run on, this is indicated by the french word for stock: Fond, meaning "Foundation" or "Base". They earned the reputation as a culinary building block because they are the ultimate fundamental. In classicalcuisine, the ability to produce a good stock is the most basic of basic skills because so much of the work done in the day to day production that goes on in a kitchen depends solly on the quality of the stock. Good stock's are the foundation of soups, sauces, stews, and braised foods, stock's are flavorful liquids made by simmering bones, vegetables, and aromatics in a liquid. In addition, they may be the flavorful cooking medium for grains, legumes, and vegetables. Chef's who are trying to reduce the fat content of any dish have learned to substitute stock, either as is or lightly thickened, to reduce the butter or oil that is ordinarily use. The end result is a dish rich in flavor and lowin fat content, Stocks are also a fundamental because they provide an excellent way to learn about culinary concepts: Control over cooking speed and time, ratios, developing flavor, and judging a dish's qulity. In modern kitchens stocks have lost much of the importance they once had. Today's professional kitchen may not produce the full range of stocks that make up the traditional repertoire of the classic Escoffier kitchen. Some kitchens may even go as far as too not make stocks as part of their daily mise en place. First because the reliance of portion meats have made it unnecessary for caring or producing stocks; second, stocks require time this means the requirement of extra labor which most restaurants today aren't able to provide. Finally, more food today is served without sauces, so their is no need for stocks. Nevertheless, the finest cuisine still depends on soups and sauces based on high-quality stocks. so stock making still remains an essential skill that you should learn early in your training. Stocks and sauces are almost never served by themselves but are components of many other preparations. A thorough knowledge of how to select ingredients to produce a specific flavor as well as of the techniques required to extract every bit of flavor while producing a clear, high-quality stock applies in a great number of cooking applications. So if you think that stock macking is overrated then maybe you should stick to bases, and powders; but for those who are purest and want to provide your establishment with a good stock, here are some guidelines to go by. Firs start by picking the best and freshest ingredients you can find, and gather all the proper equipment needed ie: stock pots, chinoise, ladle, peeler, etc. second, start by preparing your miropoix (50% Onion, 25% Celery, 25% Carrots) and Bouquet Garni or Sachet D'Espiece, Basically the french term for fresh aromatics. Third prepare your bones by washing them and cleaning them (Removing the excess fat), know if your using chicken bones make sure to wash them thoroughly this reduces the impurities in your stock, if your using beef or veal bones make sure that all usable meat is remove from the carcass. Finnally before starting your stock make sure to introduce an acid, the acid will break down the connective tissue which will gelatinous the stock. Here is a sample of a simple stock set-up that can be the foundation of your kitchen.

Basic White Stock

Us: Metric: Ingredients:
10-12 lb 5-6 Kg Bones: Chicken, Veal, or Beef
10-12 Qt 10-12 L Cold Water
Mirepoix
1 lb 500 g Onion, Chopped
8 oz 250 g Carrot, Chopped
8 oz 250 g Celery, Chopped
Sachet
1 1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp 1 ml Thyme
1/4 tsp 1 ml Peppercorns
6-8 6-8 Parsley Stem
2 2 Whole Cloves

By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFE
ChefBenDiaz.com