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Basic stock and sauce prep
Basic stock and sauce prep
Peterson book on “Sauces” is the real deal. History and modern, it’s worth every penny and it’s a good read. The classic bible is “Le Repertoire de la Cuisine. “ Both are must haves for any serious cook.
I was taught by real old school chefs. There are two basic or classic types.
They are: Fonds Blanc, or white stock.
Fonds Brun, or brown stock.
Then there are the specific savory type stocks. They are:
Fond Blanc de Volaille or white chicken stock
Fond Brun de Volaille or brown chicken stock
Fond de Agneau or lamb stock
Fond de Veau or veal stock
There is a stock for every bird etc, etc.etc. you’re cooking turkey, make a turkey stock with the bones.
The point being, that to make a sauce for a lamb dish, one should begin with a lamb stock verse a brown stock, but here’s the catch. In order to make a great lamb stock, you should begin with a brown stock and not plain water.
The method I’ve employed over the years has been reduced to a basic fundamental principle, to reinforce the base. That is to start every stock with the second passing (Liquid content) of the original stock, or remi. If I am starting a lamb stock, I am using the Remi of the last lamb stock I made to begin a new one. This is the first stage of reinforcing the base flavor of the stock. Using water only would add nothing.
With that in mind, you have to start somewhere. If a remi is not on hand, I make a vegetable stock and begin with that.
Basic method I use for all protein. Variation with game, birds etc. this is basic and needs to be mastered before going deeper.
Ingredients:
Bones
Mirepoix (celery, carrot, onions, and leeks) Rough cut
Fresh Herbs, you can use dry but not recommend.
Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Tarragon, Bay leaf
Tomato pruee
1. I first roast the bones on a rack within the roasting pan. This keeps them out of the fat that accumulates in the roasting pan. 1-2 hrs.
2. Then I pour off about 90% of the fat, remove the rack, and put the bones back in with the Mirepox. Using a large utensil I stir it and continue roasting until the vegetables are cooked. 1-2 hrs.
3. I add the tomato product and stir again. 45 minutes.
4. 30 minutes before I pull it from the oven I put in the herbs and lower the heat to 300^F. (I watch and stir every 5 minutes or so) At this point the aroma in the kitchen is intoxicating.
While this is happening I am bring the Remi to a boil. (There a whole discussion about beginning with a hot or cold stock. I’m not going there.)
5. Now that it is cooked I take the contents of the roasting pan and combine it with the stock. I have flat tops, so I can reduce the stock at a very low heat over a long period of time. Usually 12-15 hrs for lamb, veal and beef stocks.
6. While the stock is reducing I skim it constantly. Removing fat and scum that rises to the surface. This clears the stock.
The end result, a sauce, should be shinny and clear. That begins in this initial stage of sauce making.
7. After reducing over night, I remove the stock and strain it through a very tight chinoise or china cap. This is my stock and the real beginning of my sauce reduction.
(I Save all the bones and veg, add water and make my Remi by bringing it to a boil for a few hours. I strain this and now discard bones.)
8. Now that I have a stock. I start the same process over, using the same ingredients. Only this time in a sauce pot, using the bones accumulated from the night before. This is also when I fortified the stock with wine, as I begin the first, of a three stage sauce reduction process. Each reduction is passed through the chinoise. I reinforce the base with the same veg and herbs. Constantly clearing while reducing. It is slow low temp cooking though the process.
9. At some point it tells me when it's ready for the plate.
Last edited by Penn; 04-08-2008 at 00:09.
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