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| Stock - The Foundation to Sauces, Soups and Great Reductions |
This article wraps up my series on ingredients I must have on hand to prepare great meals
at home or for my clients. You will notice an underlying theme in these articles – big flavors.
I am not one for bland uninteresting dishes. I enjoy intense flavors and a lot of them.
Therefore, I make my own stock for use at home.
So-called stock purchased at the local grocer is typically watered down broth made from
meat trimmings. Liquid you might bring home from the store is actually broth and is
significantly lower in flavor and quality than homemade stock. The manufacturers, for some
reason, try to fool the consumer by adding an excess of salt to make up for the lack of real
flavor. Real stock is made from bones and has a Jello-like consistency when refrigerated,
rather than broth that is lightly colored water, often containing, preservatives, coloring
agents that might contain gluten, or is thickened with flour. My students will attest that broth
from the store is a far cry short of the quality and flavor of homemade stock.
Again, big flavor is a must when it comes to stock, and is easy to make if you are willing to
invest a little time. Your investment will pay off when your sauces or soups are rich with
flavor. One of the mantras my students learn is, “Stocks are the foundation for rich sauces,
and rich sauces are the foundation to excellent soups and many other dishes.” This is why
the first session in my Culinary Boot Camps start with making stock. Stocks are so critical to
basic cooking that at the Culinary Institute of America, we filled entire speed racks (those 6
foot high racks with about 20 racks in them that hold sheet pans) with rendering beef bones
to be roasted for making gallons of stock. Every restaurant serving quality soups and
sauces will have at least a 30 or 40 quart stock pot for making the weekly requirement for
stock.
Some of the most incredible sauces I’ve enjoyed are simply stocks seasoned with herbs and
reduced to a thick syrup. How simple is that?
One of my favorite dishes is Scarpariello I learned from an Italian friend. Its base is chicken
which is served over pasta. The sauce is made with chicken stock, white wine and butter
(the holy trinity of white sauces). I have made this dish using my stock and broth purchased
from the local grocer. The difference in the dish is night and day. Why invest all the time
and money needed to make the dish if one uses an inferior broth? Time maybe, but not for
quality. Please check out http://thymeforachef.com/resources/stock.html for instructions on
making stock.
Once you have made your own chicken stock, try my twist on Tortilla Soup.
Chef David Hall’s Robust Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
Directions:
Poach (not boil) the chicken until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 F. While the
chicken is poaching, dice the onions and jalapeño peppers, seed and chop the tomatoes.
Cut the tortillas into ¼ inch strips and fry them until they are crunchy. Remove the chicken
when done poaching. Chop the cilantro and set aside for serving. Cut the cheese into 3/8”
cubes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred
the meat. Cover and set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, and cook over
medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic, jalapeño,
cumin and chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, 2
teaspoons of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the
heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Slice the
avocados and toss with lime juice to prevent them from browning.
Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado and cheese then top with the tortilla strips
and cilantro.
We will be hosting a wine dinner and pairing events in our home in the near future. Stay
tuned for more information as dates and menu are established.
Stay well and take care of each other.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall
at home or for my clients. You will notice an underlying theme in these articles – big flavors.
I am not one for bland uninteresting dishes. I enjoy intense flavors and a lot of them.
Therefore, I make my own stock for use at home.
So-called stock purchased at the local grocer is typically watered down broth made from
meat trimmings. Liquid you might bring home from the store is actually broth and is
significantly lower in flavor and quality than homemade stock. The manufacturers, for some
reason, try to fool the consumer by adding an excess of salt to make up for the lack of real
flavor. Real stock is made from bones and has a Jello-like consistency when refrigerated,
rather than broth that is lightly colored water, often containing, preservatives, coloring
agents that might contain gluten, or is thickened with flour. My students will attest that broth
from the store is a far cry short of the quality and flavor of homemade stock.
Again, big flavor is a must when it comes to stock, and is easy to make if you are willing to
invest a little time. Your investment will pay off when your sauces or soups are rich with
flavor. One of the mantras my students learn is, “Stocks are the foundation for rich sauces,
and rich sauces are the foundation to excellent soups and many other dishes.” This is why
the first session in my Culinary Boot Camps start with making stock. Stocks are so critical to
basic cooking that at the Culinary Institute of America, we filled entire speed racks (those 6
foot high racks with about 20 racks in them that hold sheet pans) with rendering beef bones
to be roasted for making gallons of stock. Every restaurant serving quality soups and
sauces will have at least a 30 or 40 quart stock pot for making the weekly requirement for
stock.
Some of the most incredible sauces I’ve enjoyed are simply stocks seasoned with herbs and
reduced to a thick syrup. How simple is that?
One of my favorite dishes is Scarpariello I learned from an Italian friend. Its base is chicken
which is served over pasta. The sauce is made with chicken stock, white wine and butter
(the holy trinity of white sauces). I have made this dish using my stock and broth purchased
from the local grocer. The difference in the dish is night and day. Why invest all the time
and money needed to make the dish if one uses an inferior broth? Time maybe, but not for
quality. Please check out http://thymeforachef.com/resources/stock.html for instructions on
making stock.
Once you have made your own chicken stock, try my twist on Tortilla Soup.
Chef David Hall’s Robust Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
- 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped onions (2 onions)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon, dark chili powder
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 cups Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (1/2 dice)
Avocados
3 fresh limes
½ pound Queso Fresco (similar to Monterey Jack)or Queso Blanco (crumbles easily)
cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
Directions:
Poach (not boil) the chicken until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 F. While the
chicken is poaching, dice the onions and jalapeño peppers, seed and chop the tomatoes.
Cut the tortillas into ¼ inch strips and fry them until they are crunchy. Remove the chicken
when done poaching. Chop the cilantro and set aside for serving. Cut the cheese into 3/8”
cubes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred
the meat. Cover and set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, and cook over
medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic, jalapeño,
cumin and chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, 2
teaspoons of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the
heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Slice the
avocados and toss with lime juice to prevent them from browning.
Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado and cheese then top with the tortilla strips
and cilantro.
- Hint: When eating, use a large spoon so you can dig down to the bottom on the bowl,
getting avocado, cheese and chicken all in one spoonful, and if you are lucky, some
tortilla strips as well.
We will be hosting a wine dinner and pairing events in our home in the near future. Stay
tuned for more information as dates and menu are established.
Stay well and take care of each other.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall
Copyright 2011, Thyme for a Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.
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