MAKING STOCKS
MAKING YOUR OWN STOCK FROM SCRATCH IS SO EASY TO DO. THERE’S NO COMPARISON WHEN IT COMES TO HOMEMADE STOCK VERSUS STORE-BOUGHT. HOMEMADE STOCK IS RICH IN MINERALS AND CONTAINS LESS SODIUM AND NO PRESERVATIVES – YOU’LL NOTICE A DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOUR AS WELL. I START TO MAKE STOCK AT THE FIRST SIGN OF WINTER WHEN I BEGIN TO FEEL A CHILL IN THE AIR, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I AM ABOUT TO START EATING LOADS OF SOUP. I JUST LOVE IT – I CAN SERIOUSLY HAVE IT FOR BREAKFAST.
I OFTEN HAVE A ‘STOCK DAY’, A DAY DEVOTED TO MAKING STOCK, AS IT’S EASY TO MAKE THEM ALL IN ONE GO WITH LOTS OF POTS ON THE STOVE SIMMERING AWAY. THIS WAY, YOU CAN GET ALL YOUR STOCKS MADE AND PACKED AWAY SO THEY’LL BE READY TO WHIP OUT OF THE FREEZER WHEN YOU NEED THEM NEXT.
TO STORE STOCK, I HAVE CONTAINERS IN MULTIPLE SIZES THAT ARE ALL STACKABLE. I LIKE TO STORE DIFFERENT QUANTITIES OF STOCK, FROM 500 ML TO 1 LITRE. AFTER MAKING STOCK, I USUALLY TRANSFER ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE COOLED STOCK TO THE FRIDGE TO USE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, AND THEN THE OTHER TWO-THIRDS GO INTO THE FREEZER LABELLED WITH THE DATE I MADE IT, AND IT KEEPS FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
Chicken stock
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STOCK I MAKE AS I USE IT SO REGULARLY (INCLUDING IN ONE OF MY FAVOURITE RECIPES, THE THREE-DAY CHICKEN).
I ACTUALLY TREAT MY CHICKEN STOCK LIKE A CHINESE ‘MASTER STOCK’, MEANING THAT I NEVER USE IT ALL UP AND KEEP SOME OF THE LAST BATCH TO FORM THE BASE OF THE NEXT BATCH. AS A RESULT, MY STOCK HAS A RICH, CONCENTRATED FLAVOUR – AND FOR SOME PURPOSES I ACTUALLY WATER IT DOWN. AN EASIER WAY OF GETTING A SIMILAR FLAVOUR IS TO ADD A FEW NATURAL CHICKEN-STOCK CUBES IN PLACE OF SALT, WHICH I HAVE ADDED TO THIS RECIPE (BUT IF YOU’D PREFER NOT TO USE THESE, THEN YOU CAN JUST ADD SALT TO TASTE).
Use kitchen scissors to cut each chicken wing through the joints to give 3 sections.
Put the wings and remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the temperature to a simmer. Use a large spoon to skim the surface of any impurities. Cook gently, uncovered, for 21.2–3 hours. Every now and then, top up with a little water to keep it roughly at the original level.
Use a large slotted spoon to remove the chicken and vegetables from the stock, and discard. Pour the stock through a fine strainer into a clean pot. Bring to the boil and skim the surface of any further impurities, then leave to cool. Skim the fat from the surface before dividing into containers and storing in the refrigerator or freezer until needed (frozen stock will keep for up to 3 months).
Makes 3 litres
3 kg free-range chicken wings
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
1 bouquet garni made of 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley stalks and 4 thyme sprigs tied with string
2 natural chicken-stock cubes
3 litres cold water
Rich beef or veal stock
I ADD A PIG’S TROTTER TO MY BEEF STOCK FOR EXTRA FLAVOUR, ALONG WITH A GENEROUS QUANTITY OF TOMATOES.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the bones, pig’s trotter (if using) and whole tomatoes in a large baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the bones are well browned. Tip the contents of the dish into a large pot and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce the temperature to a simmer and use a large spoon to skim the surface of any impurities. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, or until the stock has reduced by half.
Scoop out the bones, trotter and vegetables with a large slotted spoon and discard. Pour the stock through a fine strainer into a clean pot. Bring to the boil and use a large spoon to skim the surface of any further impurities. Strain again and leave to cool. Skim the fat from the surface and divide into containers. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until needed (frozen stock will keep for up to 3 months).
Makes 2–2.5 litres
1 kg beef or veal bones
1 pig’s trotter (optional)
1.5 kg ripe tomatoes
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 bouquet garni made of 4 bay leaves, 4 parsley stalks and 2 thyme sprigs tied with string
6 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons sea salt
3 litres cold water
Vegetable stock
THIS STOCK GETS A NICE VEGETABLE FLAVOUR WHEN IT REDUCES AND CONCENTRATES.
Combine the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Use a large spoon to skim any impurities from the surface. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, or until the stock has reduced by half.
Strain the stock and discard the solids, and leave to cool. Divide into containers and store in the refrigerator or freezer until needed (frozen stock will keep for up to 3 months).
Makes 2.5–3 litres
16 celery stalks, roughly chopped
12 onions, roughly chopped
8 carrots, roughly chopped
8 parsnips, roughly chopped
1 bouquet garni made of 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley stalks and 4 thyme sprigs tied with string
6 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons sea salt
5 litres cold water
MAKING CURRY PASTES
PEOPLE REALLY NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STORE-BOUGHT AND HOMEMADE CURRY PASTES – THERE ARE ALWAYS LOTS OF ‘OOHS’ AND ‘AAHS’ AT THE DINNER TABLE. A CURRY PASTE MADE FROM SCRATCH RELEASES ALL THE SUBTLE FLAVOURS AND AROMAS OF THE FRESH INGREDIENTS.
WHEN I MAKE A BATCH OF CURRY PASTE, I STORE IT IN THE FREEZER, MEASURING OUT TABLESPOONS INTO ICE-CUBE TRAYS. AFTER IT’S FROZEN, YOU CAN TRANSFER THE CUBES TO A SEALABLE BAG. THEN, IT’S READY FOR THE NEXT TIME I NEED IT. CURRY PASTE IS NOT DIFFICULT TO MAKE AND IS GREAT TO HAVE ON HAND WHEN YOU WANT TO COOK SOMETHING EASY – AS BY JUST ADDING A LITTLE SEAFOOD, MEAT OR VEGETABLES AND A DASH OF COCONUT MILK (OR MY NO-FAT COCONUT MILK), YOU HAVE A QUICK DINNER.
AND, ANOTHER GREAT REASON TO MAKE CURRY PASTES IS THAT THEY DOUBLE AS FLAVOURSOME MARINADES.
Green curry paste
Put the ingredients other than the oil in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Pour in the oil and blend for 4–5 minutes, or until smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, or freeze in an ice-cube tray and transfer the cubes to a sealable bag.
Makes 1 cup
12 long green chillies, roughly chopped
5 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
4 shallots, roughly chopped
3 lemongrass stalks (white part only), roughly chopped
2 cm galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
3 coriander roots, cleaned
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
2 cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Red curry paste
Put the chillies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes, until rehydrated, then drain and roughly chop.
Put the chillies and remaining ingredients other than the oil in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Pour in the oil and blend for 4–5 minutes, or until smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, or freeze in an ice-cube tray and transfer the cubes to a sealable bag.
Makes 1 cup
15 dried long red chillies
5 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
4 shallots, roughly chopped
3 lemongrass stalks (white part only), roughly chopped
6 coriander roots, cleaned
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Harissa
Put the chillies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes, until rehydrated, then drain.
Combine the peppercorns and caraway seeds in a mortar and grind to a powder. Transfer to a food processor along with the chillies, mint, ground spices, garlic and salt and pulse until just combined. Slowly pour in the oil and continue to blend for 3–4 minutes, or until smooth.
Transfer to a sterilised jar and cover with a thin layer of oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Makes ½ cup
30 g dried long red chillies
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons dried mint
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
80 ml olive oil, plus extra for the jar
I try to prepare something like harissa, nahm jim or a curry paste once a week, so that I always have a range of flavour bases on hand for whipping up quick meals. These sauces and pastes keep a long time, and I think they save me time in the long run and make meals taste great without too much effort.
No-fat coconut milk
Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until combined.
Makes 500 ml
1 cup skim-milk powder
500 ml water
1 tablespoon coconut essence
This is a fantastic alternative to coconut milk. Although I love regular coconut milk with its rich, creamy taste, if I am having more than one curry a week I’ll quickly whip this up. It is the best alternative I have found as it cooks in a similar way to coconut milk, but it won’t have you feeling guilty.
Nahm jim
Finely chop the coriander roots and leaves. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Makes 1 ½ – 2 cups
1 bunch coriander with roots
1 red bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped
125 ml soy sauce
juice of 6 limes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Gremolata
SCATTERING GREMOLATA ONTO A DISH REALLY LIFTS OUT THE FLAVOURS, GIVING EVERYTHING A FRESH ZING.
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the garlic clove and boil for 2 minutes, then remove it to a bowl of chilled water to cool.
Finely chop the garlic. Put it into a bowl with the parsley and zest and mix well.
Makes 1½ cup
1 garlic clove
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
I always make sure my fridge and pantry is stocked with the essentials for quick meals – things like my stocks, curry pastes, harissa and nahm jim. The other thing is to remember to buy your vegetables and meat on the way home, rather than coming home to an empty larder.
Tomato sauce
THIS HOME-STYLE TOMATO SAUCE IS BASICALLY JUST FRESH, RIPE TOMATOES REDUCED DOWN TO A THICK KETCHUP, WITH A FEW EXTRA FLAVOURS ADDED. IT’S DIFFERENT TO TOMATO SAUCE FROM A SUPERMARKET AS IT DOESN’T HAVE SO MUCH ADDED SWEETNESS.
Put the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by half. Pass through a strainer. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 500 ml
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
85 g (
cup) tomato paste
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of ground cumin
good pinch of sea salt
Sushi rice
Put the rice in a sieve and rinse under running water until the water is almost clear. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add the water and bring to the boil without a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 8–10 minutes).
Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and stir to partly dissolve the sugar.
Spread the cooked rice out in a flat dish and sprinkle over the vinegar mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the rice is evenly coated, then cover with a tea towel and leave to steam for 7–8 minutes. Remove the towel and fan the rice for about 5 minutes, until cool.
Cover the rice with a damp tea towel to stop it drying out while you make your sushi.
Makes 4 cups
2 cups sushi rice
500 ml water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
Side dishes are really what we should be eating and filling up on as they are usually fresh, healthy, vegetable-based and full of nutrition.
It is true that sides are sometimes the opposite of this – take buttery mashed potatoes, a basket of fries or white bread, which are either fattening or offer limited nutrients, or both. But when you change the focus to vegetables other than potatoes, and to beans and lentils and whole grains, then you can fill up on food that actually serves your body well.
Just a note on potatoes – they are high in carbohydrates and have a high GI, but it is not that they don’t have anything at all to offer. In fact, they are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, fibre and other nutrients, especially with their skins on. But they often lend themselves to substantial amounts of fat such as cream or butter if they are mashed, or oil if they are deep-fried, and can dominate a meal when other vegetables should be allowed to shine!
When I’m cooking, I always ask myself how can I get more vegetables onto my plate, and side dishes such as the recipes in this chapter are usually my answer. Vegetables are packed full of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants – things that are essential to the functioning of our bodies, and which fight off infection and disease. They are the key to a healthy life.
My favourite side dish of all is the Vegetable Stir-fry with Miso. It’s easy to prepare, delicious, and gives you no excuse for eating badly. If I haven’t planned my week well and have run out of time to cook food in advance, this is something I can quickly buy the ingredients for on the way home and whip up in a minute. I actually eat it regularly as a light dinner, and might add some tofu or chicken if I have some on hand.
All of these side dishes are easy to prepare and most of them would serve as a perfect light lunch. Or you can serve a few of them for dinner without any ‘main’ as such – why not?!
