I just picked up a copy of River Cottage Every Day, the latest cookbook from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and am in the process of devouring it one page at a time. But more on that later. For now, I want to share this tip from the book for making super-quick vegetable stock any ol' day of the week.
Fearnley-Whittingstall advises coarsely grating all the vegetables going into the stock. This increases their surface area and helps their flavors infuse more quickly into the stock.
By shredding the vegetables, he says that you can actually make a very serviceable small-batch of stock in just ten minutes. That's just enough time to prep the rest of the dinner meal!
I agree completely with Fearnley-Whittingstall that good stock is one of the best and most versatile ingredients we can have in the kitchen. I also fully admit to buying stock much more frequently than I make it myself. But this short-cut might just help shift that balance.
Have you tried this method for making vegetable stock?
• Buy the Book! River Cottage Every Day by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
More on Making Stock
• How to Make Vegetable Stock
• How to Make Chicken Stock
• An Easy Trick for Straining Stock
• Save Vegetable Scraps for Making Stock
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genius. the grate plate on my food processor will make this even faster!
I do this and it works great! It does change the flavor of the stock but it is still good if different.
I make vegetable stock from scraps (carrot peels, well-scrubbed potato skins, bits of onion and garlic, parsley stems, and in summer tomato cores or skins, and any other non-brassica that comes through the kitchen), and I can testify that the stock gets rich and fragrant much faster with small bits than than with whole or chunked vegetables.
I like to sear the veg scraps first in oil and a pinch of salt, which gives it more depth of flavor. I'm not sure that would work for well-shredded or grated vegetables --- it seems like they might steam and stew, not sear.
Yes I have done it. It works and I learned it from Hugh F-W's tv program.
I'm a big fan of everything River Cottage! Haven't tried this method of making stock though. Made the Lemon Drizzle Cake from RC Every Day recently on my blog
http://tinyurl.com/5wektrr
I do this often, both homemade and with Trader Joe's mirepoix, which is pre-shredded carrots, onion and celery. When pressed for time or feeling lazy, this works beautifully.
Will have to try that! I have been saving my scraps and throwing them in a crock pot overnight. It is not quick but it is hassle free!!
yes, but I learned it by way of someone who learned it off of Jacques Pepin.
My tips on making veggie stock: http://bottomupfood.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/making-veggie-stock-cheap-easy-and-fun/
If you make a lot all at once and freeze the stock in yogurt containers there's really no need to ever buy it.
I will try this! I use the Crockpot, too. Not fast but needs no tending. When I'm pressed for time I quick saute chunks of veggies in olive oil before adding water. Another quick enricher is a parmesan rind. And this last trick is indeed tricky--while sauteing, add a pinch, and I mean a TINCH of tumeric. Too much and you add the flavor which you may not want. But just a hint and it kind of "warms up" the flavors you've got, and quickly.