Stock

Stock is concentrated flavours made by cooking meat or fish bones and vegetables. It enhances the flavours of dishes. Don’t leave stock out of a recip – find one that you like, are happy using and go with it.

Homemade meat stock using butcher’s bones is the ideal to aim for, but with 101 other things to do, even if we are keen cooks, the most we probably manage is chicken stock made from a leftover chicken carcass!

In this book I opt for the simplest form of stock – the cube. If you are not a fan, do take new look at the humble stock cube. You can buy organic ones, salt-free ones or budget ones. The beauty of them is that they will keep in a cupboard for ages and are ready to use. Try out different brands as I do not use the same make across the board. I use a supermarket brand for my fish stock as I think the flavour is better and a different make for chicken and for beef. Remember that most stock cubes are seasoned, so always taste before adding salt.