Trick of the trade: Vegetable stock

Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares his techniques to make vegetable stock.

Use any vegetables and trimmings you have, although Chef Pfyl recommends not using cauliflower, broccoli or other brassicas, or starchy vegetables such as potatoes for making stock.

In this stock he uses onion, carrot, leek leaves, mushroom stalks and peels, outer celery stalks, tomatoes and any vegetables that are past their best.

Cut the vegetables roughly (picture 1) - there is no need to peel them.

 

 

 

 

 

Add cold water to the veges (picture 2).

Bring to a gentle simmer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make a bouquet garni (picture 3) by tying a bay leaf, one clove, a sprig of thyme, some peppercorns and parsley stalks in a piece of cheesecloth, and add to the stock. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes. To strain the stock, use a fine sieve and place over a bowl.

Ladle the stock into it, and tip the last in, holding back most of the vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should have clear stock (picture 4) and a strainer of used vegetables and bouquet garni.

Do not season stock - instead, check the seasoning of the soup or other dish you are using it in.

 

Keep fresh stock no more than three days covered in the fridge.

If you are not sure whether the stock has gone off, bring it to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then taste - if it is sour, it has gone off.

If you want to keep stock for a while, reduce it and freeze it.

To reduce a stock, let it come to a gentle, lazy boil and cook until the volume has reduced.

Concentrate takes up less space to store - freeze it in ice cubes then store in the freezer in a plastic bag.

If you would like to request a particular technique, please let us know: email odt.features@odt.co.nz with Trick of the trade in the subject line.