Dear readers,
This recipe will prepare you to the basics of sauce making. A good stock is the base of most sauces, it can be reduce to make shiny and flavorful sauces, or it can be used as liquid agent to cook your stews; you can even cook your vegetables inside, giving them a beautiful flavor.
Beef Stock
Makes about 3/4 Liter
The reduction can stand in for some of the beef stock in French onion soup, pot roast, and beef stew, where it will add flavor and richness.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 3 kg beef shank pieces or Ox tail
- 2 large carrots, peeled, diced
- 2 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 leek, coarsely chopped
- 25 cl cooking white wine
- 3 L water
- 3 large fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Preparation
Preheat oven to 230 degree Celsius. Brush heavy large roasting pan with olive oil, preheat. Place shank pieces in prepared pan. Roast until meat is brown on all side, about 25 minutes, then add the carrots, leek, onions and tomato paste and cook for another 5 min. Transfer beef and vegetables to heavy large saucepan. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add white wine and stir 1 minute, scraping up browned bits, then add to beef and vegetables. Add water, bay leave and thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and gently simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 liter. Do not let it boil to hard, or it will turn whitish and unappealing.
Strain broth. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Remove fat from surface.
If you use Ox tail, don’t hesitate to save the meat and the vegetables after cooking, season well with salt, pepper, mustard and a bit of the stock, place in a terrine and chill overnight. You’ll get a quick and delicious Ox tail terrine.
Culinary yours