January 15            #630                The Bases of Sauces

            In French cooking they have a phrase "les fonds de cuisine", meaning the foundations of cooking.  Rather than a set of guiding principles, these are the basic foundations for the universe of stocks, demi-glaces, broths and marinades that mark French cooking.
            Today, although stocks are still venerated as the starting point for any serious sauce, most home cooks skip the tedious business of making stocks, and opt for high quality concentrates instead.  For many purposes this is not a bad thing.  A concentrated flavorful broth works very well for many recipes, but it cannot quite produce the intensity and  complexity of flavor of a true home-made stock or its near relation, the demi-glace.
            We produce a broth by cooking a principal ingredient, such as meat, chicken or even mushrooms, in seasoned water.  As the main ingredient cooks, it imparts flavor to the broth.  Boiling or simmering the broth will cause water to evaporate, intensifying the flavor.  Broths are useful as a basis for a simple sauce (just thicken), or as a cooking medium for anything from rice to fish to vegetables.
            Stocks are more elaborate affairs that involve the use of bones and cartilage as well as meat (or fish), vegetables and seasoning.  The resulting liquid is far more gelatinous, and intensely flavored.  A stock, which takes hours to prepare, can like-wise be reduced to greater concentrations.  Various methods are used to clarify the stock, including fining with egg whites or straining through very fine mesh or muslin.
            The demi-glace is an already concentrated stock which is reduced to one-tenth its original volume.  The result is a very gelatinous substance with intense flavor, but mild aroma.  The demi-glace can be used in small portions to add intense flavor.
            Marinades are acidic flavorful liquids that both infuse an ingredient with flavor and break down its toughness somewhat.  They are designed to penetrate only slightly, but remain on the surface to influence flavor during cooking.  Because ingredients are almost always raw during a marinade, questions about bacteria transfer arise.  Never use a marinade as a sauce straight from its bowl.  It always must be brought to a boil to make it safe to eat.  Then, it can be reduced and re-seasoned just like a broth.
            Every serious home cook should make a stock at least once.  It's a lot of work, but you can save the stock in the form of ice-cubes for future use.  Your sauces will thank you.
                                                CLASSIC BEEF STOCK
            This is a time to "re-cycle" left-overs and scraps.  Save up left-over bits of beef and beef bone, as well as celery stalk ends, carrots and onions that are past their prime.  You'll want about 3-4 pounds of beef bits plus two or three bones (marrow bearing leg, shank or soup bones are great).  You'll need about 2-3 cups worth of veggie bits as well.
            Start with a large, deep stock pot.  Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into it and heat.  Add your chopped carrots and onions and stir as they brown and begin to caramelize.  Add the cut up celery and cook until that is tender.  Take stock pot off the heat.
            Place the meat and bones on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes in a 375 oven.  When done, add the meat and bones (but none of the fat if you can help it) to
the stock pot.  Deglaze the cooking sheet with a little water and scrape up the brown bits.  Add this to the pot.  Add about 4 tablespoons tomato paste, two cups of white wine and about eight cups water.  Season with bay leaves, and a boquet garni of rosemary, thyme, sage, cloves and peppercorns.
            Simmer gently for about 6 hours, skimming fat off the surface from time to time.
Do not let the stock come to a boil at any time.
            Carefully strain the stock through a coarse strainer to recover bones and other solids.  Then re-strain through muslin or a fine mesh strainer.  If you want super-clear stock, you can whisk in a beaten egg white which will attract small particulate matter.  Skim or strain off the egg white when satisfied.

           Taste the stock and add salt to taste.  In a large sauce pan, reduce the stock at a vigorous simmer (not boil) to about 4 cups.  Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and refrigerate overnight.  Remove any final fat that congeals before using.  Your final stock can be poured into ice cube trays, and transferred to plastic baggie when frozen.

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