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Homemade Stock

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Homemade stock

In my vein of saving money and making food taste better, one of my go-to’s is homemade stock. There’s nothing quite like the scent of a kitchen with a pot of simmering stock on the stove. 

It’s a fantastic way to extract flavor and nutrients from ingredients while reducing waste and homemade stock adds depth and richness to soups, stews, sauces, and risotto. 

I keep a bag in the freezer into which go all of my vegetable scraps. When I have a bagful, I toss them into a large, heavy pot for a long, slow simmering. You can also toss in chicken or beef bones if you are a meat-eater. 

Most vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, leeks and garlic make a delicious stock. Be sure to use the peels, especially onion and garlic, as they make the stock richer. Don’t use potato peels or scraps from cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli since they make the stock too strong. I also glean parmesan rinds from my grocery – they often sell them fairly inexpensively – and toss one or two into the stock for richness. 

Add whatever herbs you have handy, either fresh or dried, such as parsley, thyme, bay leaves, basil and oregano. 

Cover with a substantial portion of water and put on a low simmer. The longer you simmer it, the richer your stock will be. Four to six hours is adequate or you can cook it in a slow cooker on low overnight. 

I prefer to salt my stock when I use it in a recipe, but you can certainly salt it as you make it. 

Once the stock has simmered long and slow, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean container to remove the solids.

Let the stock cool completely before storing it. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for several months. I freeze mine in 1-cup portions for easy use later. 

Oven Baked Risotto

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, (optional)
  • 3 cups stock (here’s where your homemade stock will shine)
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (optional)
  • Additions: prosciutto, brie, mushrooms, pumpkin, butternut squash, peas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with oil, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine and cook until completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 ½ cups water, the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Stir in ½  to ¾ cup water (the consistency of the risotto should be creamy), the butter, cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Homemade Ricotta

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Honey and mint-infused ricotta with blueberries

In my vein of keeping things simple and less expensive, one of my faves is ricotta cheese. It’s a great boost of protein, is low in calories, and if you make your own, you can control exactly what’s in it. 

Store-bought ricotta can be expensive, but it is simple and quick to make. When you make it fresh you can make it as creamy or dry as you want. All it takes is high-quality milk and lemon juice or white vinegar.

It’s a great base for pasta sauces, to mix in chicken or tuna salad, to spread on grilled bread for bruschetta, to lighten and moisten baked goods, as a topping for pizza, to make delicious dips, to stuff pasta, to layer in lasagna and even to make a low-calorie sweet pudding to satisfy that sweet tooth. 

Crepes stuffed with lemon-flavored ricotta

Recipe for Homemade Ricotta 

Ricotta and avocado bruschetta

8 cups whole milk 

Organic is best; try to find milk that has not been ultra-pasteurized. But regular pasteurized milk is fine. You can make ricotta with 2% or even skim milk but it won’t be as rich or as creamy.

½ teaspoon salt 

you can omit this, especially if you are using it for something sweet

3 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar

Line a colander with several layers of dampened cheesecloth or a linen tea towel and place over a bowl to catch the liquid. 

Heat the milk in a large heavy pan, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching. Heat to 185 F. This scalding kills any stray bacteria that might interfere with the clotting process.

Turn the heat to low, add salt if using, and add the lemon juice or vinegar.

Gently stir the mixture for a few minutes as the curds begin to form. The liquid that separates is whey (keep this – see below).

Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for about twenty minutes. 

Gently ladle the ricotta into the colander. Let sit for about 10 minutes for creamy ricotta or up to 20 minutes for dry ricotta. 

Homemade ricotta will last about three days in the refrigerator. 

*Whey is a great protein-rich addition to baked goods, in a smoothie, as a soup base, or even added for extra nutrition in pet food. Freeze it in ice cubes to have it available for tossing into a soup if you don’t intend to use it immediately. 

Homemade Yogurt

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Everyone I know is complaining these days about how expensive groceries are. There’s not much we can do about coffee and olive oil, but there are a few ways to cut costs. And fun ways if you enjoy being in the kitchen.

A staple in our house, yogurt, has gone up in price along with everything else. Store-bought yogurt is between $4.00 and $7.00 for 32 oz. A 5-8 oz container runs from $1.00 to $1.50. The cost depends on whether you purchase organic or non-organic, Greek or regular yogurt. 

One of our favorite breakfasts is homemade yogurt with a splash of elderberry syrup, blueberries and a handful of granola. Good for our gut and our brains because it tastes so good. 

Make your own yogurt

Making your own yogurt is simple. It will take four to five hours to set but once it’s made, you don’t have to do anything except wait for it to do its yogurt thing – the bacteria will thicken the milk and make a delicious, creamy homemade product that you can use in a myriad of ways. 

To make it thick like Greek or yogurt cheese, simply spoon it into a strainer and let it sit to drain for an hour or so. 

The type of milk you use is also up to you. Whole, 2% and skim all work well. I like to use organic whole milk, but any will do. Try not to use ultra-pasteurized if you can get it as sometimes the pasteurization process impedes the bacterial growth necessary to thicken it. 

I’ve not made yogurt from oat, soy or almond milk, but it might be worth trying. You will have to start with yogurt with live cultures which is a dairy milk product. Or you can purchase live cultures online if you want to try non-dairy milk.

Recipe

This makes 4-5 pints. I tend to cut it in half just so I don’t have so much in the fridge at one time.

You’ll need a heavy-bottomed pan, glass jars and lids and a cooking thermometer. I use a candy thermometer.

½ gallon milk (whole, 2% or skim)

¼ c. room temperature plain yogurt as the starter (just take it out of the fridge for half an hour or so)

If you don’t already have yogurt in the fridge, purchase a small cup of plain yogurt. Make sure it lists live cultures on the label. Don’t be tempted to use one that is sweetened or with fruit as this can stop the fermentation process. Once your yogurt is made, you can sweeten and fruit it up as you desire. 

How to make

Heat the milk until it reaches 180 degrees, stirring occasionally to keep it from scorching. Hold at 180 for one minute. This scalds the milk to kill any unwanted bacteria. Remove from the heat and allow it to drop to 115 to 120 degrees. 

Remove 1/3 c. of the milk and add to the yogurt starter. Blend well with a whisk and return to the milk, whisking to mix well. It will form a skin, so use a strainer and pour it into glass jars. 

Cap the jars and put them in a cooler or something with a tight-fitting lid that will keep them insulated. You can also use a pot that will accommodate the jars and surround them with a towel. I use a small insulated cooler and put a folded towel on top for the fermentation process. 

Fill another jar with boiling water, close the cooler and let sit for 4-5 hours. Voila! You have your own homemade yogurt! Be sure to save the bottom of the last jar to make your next batch.

Gluten-Free 3

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It’s amazing how, when we heard “go gluten-free,” I thought “I absolutely can’t give up bread”. But then I whipped into gear to start looking at the options. I bought the ingredients to start baking without gluten and cruised the internet for advice about why we shouldn’t be consuming it.

Basically the advice, in a nutshell, is that if you are sensitive, you should stay away from gluten. However, if not diagnosed with Celiac disease or an actual allergy, then it’s not critical to buy oatmeal that is certified gluten-free or to avoid anything that might have even come into contact with wheat. The anecdotal take is that you should stay away from gluten no matter what because it is inflammatory. The medical advice is that it hasn’t been proven to be inflammatory and it’s fine to eat bread. The most important piece of advice to remember is to read your own body’s response.

Now that we’re several weeks into a gluten-free diet, we realize that if we have to continue this way, it’s not all that hard. We’re waiting on blood tests to see if gluten is causing the digestive issues, so will take all the advice with a grain of salt until we know the final diagnosis.

Meanwhile, commercial gluten-free hamburger buns, bagels, bread and wraps are perfectly edible. Okay, the bread doesn’t taste quite like a crusty sourdough loaf, but it’s certainly okay on a sandwich. And I like to pride myself on being adaptable. No adolescent pouting here.

I’ve had several failed loaves of bread using my own mix, so my advice is that, even though expensive, buy the ready-made baking and bread mixes. Try several and figure out which one you like the best. And enjoy your biscuits, pancakes and avocado toast!

My Nano’s buttermilk biscuits (with a tweak)

2 c. gluten-free baking mix (Bob’s Red MIll, KIng Arthur, Pillsbury)
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ t. baking soda
6 T. butter
1 c. buttermilk

Blend dry the dry ingredients. Cut in butter with two forks or a pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix lightly, just enough to incorporate the ingredients. Be sure not to overmix. Pat into a loose ball, turn onto a floured board and roll out to about ½” thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Brush the tops with milk for browning. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Gluten-free, take 2

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(I do not receive compensation for mentioning products – these are simply two that are readily available)

So, on with our gluten-free journey. After perusing the gluten-free products aisle, we’ve (my husband and I) had a few revelations, a few disappointments, and a whole new appreciation for this realm. And especially an appreciation for those people for whom gluten is a serious allergen with drastic symptoms when they consume it.

We’ve tried a couple of commercial breads, some delicious and some that taste like cardboard. The biggest lesson, however, is the cost. So, I’m determined to figure out how to make good artisan whole-grain bread that is gluten-free. Without wheat flour. So far, the only gluten-free flour mixes I’ve found are not necessarily whole grain because they are based on white rice flour. But they often contain pea flour, maybe corn flour and buckwheat flour as a base. Believe it or not, buckwheat has no gluten.

We’ve also perused the internet and many, many websites purport to make gluten-free products that taste good. I will continue to do the research and experimentation. The good news is that now that we’re making ourselves aware of gluten as an ingredient, it’s becoming second nature to check before we purchase or use anything.

We’ve eaten out several times since starting this journey, and most restaurants offer gluten-free products as a regular part of their menus. The downside is that the establishments usually charge extra for gluten-free bread. And we were surprised recently at a restaurant that had a whole gluten-free menu. The burger came with baked sweet potato fries, but there was a $2.00 upcharge to substitute regular fries (they couldn’t guarantee that the fries weren’t cooked adjacent to a product containing wheat such as battered fish or chicken).

I recently made a birthday carrot cake for a friend and we were both a little disappointed that we couldn’t have any because we both love carrot cake. But, it prompted a late-night session with the internet and a gluten-free brownie recipe. The brownies were good – chewy and chocolaty, although they did taste a little different than our favorite Katherine Hepburn brownie recipe (see below).

I find myself going to the King Arthur site regularly. So far, their gluten-free recipes seem somewhat reliable (I really don’t get any compensation – I just feel it’s the best resource so far). They do have their own line of products as well, so when you are looking you often find them lined up next to Bob’s Red Mill products. It takes some of the guesswork out of the process. We bought a cornbread mix and it produced good cornbread. A little heavier than my grandmother’s recipe, but still good.

But I’m a cook-from-scratch sort of cook, so I’m lining up the individual ingredients needed and will start working on my own mixes. I’ll keep you posted.

Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies (borrowed from PBS History)

½ cup cocoa or 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened baker’s chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
¼ c. gluten-free flour
1 t. vanilla
¼ t. (or more) chile flakes
Pinch of salt
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Melt butter with the cocoa or chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over medium-low, whisking constantly till blended. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into a well-buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. The fudgy goodness is hard to slice so use a sharp knife and spatula.

Gluten-free diet

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I’m going to take you on a journey with me. Out of medical necessity, my house is going on a gluten-free diet. I’ve always shied away from gluten-free products because they just weren’t necessary and I assumed they weren’t as good as those made with wheat. Happily, I’ve been redirected.

I’ve spent a lot of years cooking with flour – from making a roux for creamy pasta to my grandmother’s traditional holiday cookies to soy sauce in stir-fries (yep, soy sauce has wheat in it) to good old bread baking and even making a sandwich.

I do so many things by rote and from scratch, that I now have to stop and think through any recipe and figure out substitutes. I asked a gluten-free friend which commercial breads taste best and her response was, “I don’t know. They’re all pretty bad.” However, until I can figure out how to make my own substitutions, I’m reliant on commercial breads and baking mixes. And they are pretty expensive.

But they certainly don’t deserve the bad reputation that so many have. I can’t say they’re homemade good yet, but at least there’s hope. Gluten-free products have come a very long way in the past 20 years. I made waffles from a gluten-free baking mix recently and they were actually as good as our usual homemade ones. Buttermilk and baking powder seem to work equally well with any type of flour. Most restaurants offer gluten-free bread and bun options so it’s also possible to eat intelligently when out without having to bring your own bread.

So, as I bounce along this road, I’ll share what I find as far as different flours to use, how to make leavening work without gluten, and which commercial products are the best. Keep in mind that if I mention a brand, I’m not selling or getting any compensation. It’s simply something I’ve tried that is readily on the market.

Here goes!

Gluten-free waffles and pancakes for two

I purchased an all-purpose baking mix (King Arthur) that already has baking powder and xanthum gum in it. Certainly not intended for bread baking, but the waffles were delicious. I’d really like more of a whole grain mix so I’ll next try just the plain alternative flours to make my own waffle and pancake mix.

The recipe using the baking mix:

2 T. vegetable oil or melted butter
1 large egg
1 T. sugar (optional)
½ t. vanilla extract
1 c. baking mix
½ t. baking powder (the mix already has some in it but they suggested more)
dash salt
1 ½ c. milk

Mix and let stand 10 minutes. Pour onto hot waffle iron or pancake griddle.

Birds and a resolution

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I decided to stop feeding the birds this summer, particularly because the feeders draw in the squirrels, which makes my dog go crazy, running and chasing which resulted in a torn CCL recently. I realized that I was just baiting her into running after squirrels.

To make a long story short, my feeders are being stored for now. I may bring them out to the front yard after the bears go to sleep if we have an unusually hard winter but frankly, I’m questioning using them. And I may simply not resurrect my feeders at all. Feeding birds can be controversial. Here is an excellent source from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discussing the pros and cons of bird feeding: https://www.fws.gov/story/feed-or-not-feed-wild-birds

The upshot of this I’ve made my first resolution for the new year. It’s a bit early, but I’ve decided that I’m going to feed my birds from what I grow, not from feeders. This morning in my perennial bed where I’ve left up all the seedheads were maybe 20 birds, at least five different kinds. Finches were dancing on the coneflower seedheads, and scavenging the ground and fallen foliage were several types of sparrows with juncoes, cardinals and a rose-breasted grosbeak.

They had plenty to eat since I left my garden wild for the winter. These stems and debris also harbor insects including the pollinators we need to keep our planet healthy. And, below the leaf litter I’ve left in my garden are the pupae of caterpillars which will feed the birds in spring.

So, my resolution is that next year when the gardening and plant-buying bug hits me, I will concentrate on only growing what provides food for the birds and other wildlife. Of course, in most cases, this will mean native plants but there are plenty of attractive non-invasive non-natives that provide food as well. I collected seeds from wild stands of black cohosh (bugbane) and goldenrod, and hyssop, vervain and sneezeweed from my perennial garden. I’ve “winter-sown” them to put out in my landscape next year.

Oh, yes, umami

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I’ve started putting mushrooms in almost everything I cook. Their meaty, savory flavor adds a little something extra to fall and winter soups, pasta and stir-fries. They blend perfectly with cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, beans and rice, sausage and winter squash. And the nutrition is phenomenal.

Mushrooms are low-calorie and packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Supposedly setting mushrooms on the windowsill to absorb some sunlight will give you an extra boost of vitamin D. They are good sources of potassium which can help lower blood pressure, they have an anti-inflammatory effect on cells, and they have high amounts of selenium and B6, both of which help prevent cell damage.

So, what’s not to like? Healthy and tasty at the same time. We have an Asian market near where we live, so a once-a-month foray brings home Asian vegetables like bok choi, spinach and all other manner of Asian greens, organic tamari, homemade kimchi, and best of all, mushrooms. They usually have shitakes on sale, so I buy a big portion and bring them home to the dehydrator or to roast.

Dried wild mushrooms bring premium prices at markets and grocery stores, but this way I can have my mushrooms ready for rehydrating and adding to whatever I’m cooking. Rehydrating is simply a matter of pouring some boiling water on the mushrooms and letting them sit for a few minutes. Then, the mushroom water is poured off (a delicious addition to soup), and the mushrooms can be chopped and added to risotto, scrambled eggs, mushroom stew or whatever you have cooking.

Roasted mushrooms

Serve as a side to almost anything or keep some of these in the frig for adding to sandwiches, salads, or scrambled eggs. Clean mushrooms and clip off the ends of the stems. It is perfectly fine to wash them – it’s a myth that they will soak up a lot of water. Slice and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet with sides and roast at 375 for about half an hour.

Duxelles

Sauteed or roasted mushrooms keep beautifully when frozen. I like to make a riff on duxelles, a traditional French dish of sauteed mushrooms with shallots and white wine. My recipe is to chop the mushrooms and mince a couple of cloves of garlic and half an onion finely. Saute them in olive oil or butter for about ten minutes. Freeze flat in a ziplock and break off pieces to add to a dish, use alone as a dressing for pasta, or even simply to put a dollop on a baked white or sweet potato.

Oven-Baked Risotto

Go-to comfort food with an elegant umami flavor. This rendition lets the oven do the work instead of standing and stirring for half an hour.

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
  • 3/4 c. Arborio rice
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine, (optional)
  • 3 c. stock
  • 3/4 t. coarse salt
  • 1/8 t. freshly ground pepper
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 T. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (optional)
  • Additions: prosciutto, brie, mushrooms, pumpkin, butternut squash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with oil, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine and cook until it has completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup water (the consistency of the risotto should be creamy), the butter, cheese, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Fall soups

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Now that the summer is gone, fall is deepening and there is a tendency to pull inward. Since most of my garden tasks are finished, my focus is no longer outdoors and I can start my fall cleanse. Sort of like spring cleaning, but this is more of an emptying process. Getting rid of all the dead weight hanging around my house and especially in my kitchen.

I’ve cleaned out the pantry, getting rid of all the dribs and drabs that aren’t enough to make a meal. I’ve defrosted my freezer and taken stock of all that’s there from the summer garden. We have plenty of food to keep us fed all winter, but for heaven’s sake – just how much blanched kale can a family eat? I’m actually organizing myself to make a list of what we have and am creating menus.

The answer is soups. Yes, soups and more soups. They not only warm and nourish the body but there is something soul-warming and environment-enriching about a soup bubbling away on the stove. It also gives me license to bake bread because, you know, soup needs bread.

Even though I have plenty of time to cook elaborate recipes, the inclination just isn’t there. I want to simplify my life, including my cooking. So, I share with you this basic start to any soup – mirepoix.

The French term means sauteed mixed vegetables (soffrito in Italian – means softly fried). The traditional mix is onion, garlic, celery and carrot. But add whatever you want. Once you have this mixture, it’s simple to turn it into just about any type of soup, from cream to brothy, to beany to chowder. Best of all, most of us have these ingredients in the crisper anyway so it’s not necessary to make a run to the store.

Mirepoix soup base

Chop a small onion, a small carrot and a couple of stalks of celery. Saute gently in two tablespoons of olive oil until somewhat soft but not browned. While sauteeing, add seasonings and herbs to allow them to “bloom” in the oil. This process releases the flavors to infuse your soup.

If you are making a cream soup or bisque, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour and slowly stir in about two cups of milk or stock. Or, puree white beans and add to the soup. If making a broth-based soup simply add stock and perhaps noodles or rice. Other possibilities – browned sausage, cabbage, kale (I have lots), lentils or other beans, tomatoes, tortellini.

Pumpkin bisque

Pumpkin Bisque for two

  • 1 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 1 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 celery stalk, diced
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 3/4 c. diced, peeled pumpkin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 quarts stock
  • 1 t. sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 T. sherry

Wrap the bay leaf, thyme sprigs & sage leaves together into a bouquet garnish using cheese-cloth, so that it can be removed easily at the end of the cooking time.

In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery & onion. Cover & cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 7 – 10 min.

Add the pumpkin, herbs & stock & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover & cook for 20 min, or until the pumpkin is tender & cooked through. Remove the bouquet garnish. Purée the soup with a blender until no lumps remain. If necessary, pass the soup through a sieve. Return the soup to the pot and add the sherry. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Season to taste with salt & freshly ground pepper. Serve in warmed soup bowls with croutons or a swirl of cream.

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