The Basic Stock

• 400 g (14 oz) cheaper cuts of meat
• bones
• celery leaves
• bay leaf

Brown the meat and bones first in a heavy saucepan, then add the flavourings and water. Simmer for two to thre hours and strain into a bowl. Once cool it can be refrigerated. And once chilled, the layer of fat can be lifted off. Browning the meat first gives a good colour to the stock.

A cheaper way of acquiring stock, for a casserole for example, is to buy your meat in a whole piece, t