Stocks and Stock-making

For many people, stock remains the stumbling block to soup-making. Not all soups rely on stock and many are overwhelmed by it, but it’s true that stock is often the body and soul of a soup.

There is no mystery about stock-making. The basic method, whether you use vegetables, poultry, meat or fish, is always the same. It requires no particular skills, and, once a few undemanding preparations have been made, it cooks itself. At its most basic, it’s the liquid you’ve cooked the vegetables in. At its most complex it’s a crystal-clear, intensely flavoured, gelatinous consommé.