A basic stock shouldn’t be complicated. Throw on a pot of water while you are cooking dinner and toss in complementary flavors using ingredients you already have in the fridge and pantry. Any time you cook whole fish or chicken, freeze the frames or carcasses and bones in the freezer so you are ready to go. I use chicken stock even for meat-based stews and braised meats. The guidelines below are for a 12-quart stockpot. If you don’t have a pot that large, cut the quantities down slightly. Makes 4 to 5 quarts, depending on the size of your pot and how long the stock simmers.
Basic Aromatic Vegetables: 2 medium red onions, peeled and halved, or 2 to 3 cups red onion hearts (see page 45); a few stalks celery; a few carrots, peeled; and, if you have one, ½ large daikon radish, peeled and cut into chunks
Seasonings: Meaty 3- to 4-inch knob peeled and lightly smashed fresh ginger, 5 or 6 leafy sprigs of thyme, 2 bay leaves, a few whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or more as needed)
For Fish Stock: 4 to 5 pounds well-cleaned fish bones from halibut, cod, flounder, or other lean, non-oily fish, with at least 1 large or 2 small heads and tails, if possible
For Chicken Stock: 4 to 5 pounds mixed chicken necks, backs, and other bones (a little meat on the bones adds flavor), or the quartered frames of 2 whole chickens
For Vegetable Stock: Include the daikon, if you can, and add another onion, carrot, and celery stalk with the basic aromatic vegetables
1 Toss all of the vegetables, basic seasonings, and bones, if making fish or chicken stock, into a large stockpot (around 12 quarts). Fill the pot with water to within a few inches of the top. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer.
2 For chicken or vegetable stock, simmer the broth for a solid hour, then strain. Discard any bones and vegetables. Return the broth to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until reduced by about one-third, to concentrate the flavors. Let cool completely and season very lightly with salt (you can add more salt later, depending on what you are cooking). Refrigerate the stock for up to 5 days, or freeze it in small batches.
3 For fish stock, simmer the broth for 40 minutes, strain, and return the liquid to the pot. Return the broth to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until reduced by about one-third, to concentrate the flavors.