Tom Kitchin: “stocks and sauces are at the heart of many great dishs”

If you don’t get the foundations right, the dish will never turn out the way you want it to. Stocks and sauces are at the heart of many classic dishes, and I can’t emphasise enough the importance of a fresh, quality stock. The French word is ‘fond’, meaning foundation – a testament to how important it can be to the cooking process.

At the restaurant, we will normally have about four or five fresh stocks on the go at once as an essential base for a whole manner of different dishes, from poaching and stews to sauces and soups.

Making stocks is a technical process and can often seem quite daunting to create from scratch, but if you can make a little bit of time I really recommend you try to make them at home yourself. If you use the best fresh produce and get the procedure right, you can make great stock. There are many simple recipes, so once you master a few of the basics you will find you can use them time and time again. The beauty of making your own stocks and sauces is that you can make a big batch and store it away for impromptu dinners or guests.

There are a number of basic stocks, sauces and other essentials that are required for a huge number of classic recipes. It’s really useful to know how to make stocks such as chicken, lamb, fish or vegetable, for instance, and they are so much tastier than simply mixing it up from ready-made stock cubes. It can take a while to prepare them but they are, in fact, quite easy and can make all the difference to the depth and flavour of your cooking.

Just as importantly, creating your own stock can be fantastic for using up leftovers and is a really economical way to cook, using every single bit of your produce.

Bones that have a high collagen content – such as veal knuckles, chicken necks, wings and legs – are ideal because they not only help create flavour but also add body to whatever you use them for.

Even if you buy your meat from your local butcher off the bone, you can ask for the fresh bones to take home and use in your cooking as well.

The starting point for all stocks is to take your ingredients and simmer them in cold water, as this extracts the collagen. If you use hot water, the collagen will be sealed in and you won’t get the same flavour.

If you’re making stock with meat and vegetables, the meat should always be added first. Timing is one of the most important things to consider. Fish and vegetable stocks are generally thought of as a little easier to master as they should be cooked for a shorter time to ensure the flavour is kept light and fresh. Again, when it comes to cooling, timing is important as you must cool it quickly to ensure it remains safe to eat.

You shouldn’t allow the stock to boil – rather keep it simmering to avoid emulsifying it into a cloudy substance. You need to separate the fat so you can remove it and achieve the end result of a wonderfully clear stock. As the stock cooks down, a foamy substance will float to the top – you can simply skim this off. Once you’ve made the stock, sieved it and removed the fat, you can reduce it down.

While stock-making does take time, it’s easy to make a big batch and use it for so many wonderful dishes. If you’re making stock, you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Or if you want to keep it for longer or make a really big batch, you can freeze it and it can be stored for three or four months.

A good way to freeze stock is to pour it into ice cube trays so you have individual portions ready when you need it. Once you master it, there will be no looking back.

Fish Stock

Makes 1 litre

2kg fresh white fish bones (turbot, sea bass or John Dory)

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1 medium leek (white part only), roughly chopped

1 celery stick, roughly chopped

1 small fennel bulb, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

50ml olive oil

100ml Noilly Prat

200ml dry white wine

1 bay leaf

12 white peppercorns, crushed

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh parsley

Chop the fish bones into small pieces and wash them under cold running water to remove all traces of blood. When the water runs clear, drain the bones in a colander.

Wash the chopped vegetables in cold water and drain.

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek, celery, fennel and garlic and cook without colouring for five minutes. Add the fish bones and continue to sweat for a further three minutes without colouring. Add the Noilly Prat and white wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated.

Pour two litres of cold water over the bones and bring the pan to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove any scum that floats to the surface. When the stock is clear and the fish bones have settled on the bottom, add the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and parsley, then cook the stock for a further 15 minutes. Remove the stock from the heat and pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Discard the bones and vegetables.

Put the stock back on to the heat and reduce by half to concentrate the flavour. Pass the reduced stock through a fine sieve into a stainless steel container and refrigerate.

Any fat will solidify and rise to the surface. Remove the fat before using the stock. The fish stock will keep for two days in the fridge.

Chicken Stock

Makes 2 litres

2.5kg raw chicken carcasses

½ head celery, roughly chopped

1 large leek (white part only), roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 sprigs parsley

2 bay leaves

12 white peppercorns, crushed

salt

Remove any excess fat from the chicken carcasses, chop them roughly and place in a large saucepan. Cover with 3.5 litres of cold water, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Let the stock simmer for 30 minutes, skimming frequently to remove impurities that float to the surface.

Add the chopped vegetables, herbs, peppercorns and a large pinch of salt and cook for a further hour and a half. Continue to skim the stock frequently and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Pass the stock through a fine sieve into a stainless steel container and refrigerate.

Any fat will solidify and rise to the surface. Remove this fat before using the stock.

Vegetable Stock

Makes 1 litre

3 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 leeks, roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

500ml dry white wine

2 whole star anise

1 bouquet garni

1 scant tsp coarse salt

pepper

Pour 1.5 litres of water into a large saucepan, add all the ingredients and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for an hour, uncovered, skimming any foam from the surface every ten minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

Pour the stock into a fine sieve and let it drip through naturally. Do not force or press the vegetables, as this will discolour the stock.

Lamb Stock

Makes 1 litre

2.5kg lamb bones, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

5 carrots, chopped

1 onion chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped

1 handful thyme

1 head garlic, cut in half

½ red pepper, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

100ml tomato purée

100ml white wine

Preheat the over to 200C/gas mark 6. Put the lamb bones in a roasting ray with half the oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Add the rest of the oil to a heavy-bottomed pan and sweat the carrots, onion, fennel, thyme and garlic on top of the stove for a good eight to ten minutes. Add the red pepper and the cumin and cook for another three or four minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further two to three minutes.

Pour the white wine into the pan and add the roasted lamb bones. Cover with about two litres of water, bring to the boil and skim. Cook for three to four minutes, then pass through a fine sieve. Pour the stock back in the pan and boil until reduced by half.