Never underestimate the value of a really good stock. I normally get by by dressing up my favorite organic stock with a few tips (and a dash of wine) from Julia Child, but this time, my stock cupboard was bare, and it was snowing, and I really needed some decent stock to go with a couple of recipes I wanted to make….
All thanks to da Google, the barefoot contessa, Emeril, and my well-stuffed (if aging) vegetable drawer for this fine bit of soup stockery.
INGREDIENTS
•4 carrots, quartered
•6 stalks of celery, including leafy tops,
cut in thirds
•1/2 red pepper, sliced
•1/2 yellow onion, sliced
•1/2 large red onion, coarsely chopped
•1 tomato, quartered
•5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
•1 jalapeño, halved
•4 sprigs fresh rosemary
•A good handful fresh parsley
•4 or 5 stems fresh oregano
•2 bay leaves
•2 tsp Sichuan pepper corns
•1 tsp Tellicherry pepper corns
•2 tbsp coarse sea salt
•2 tbsp olive oil
•1 tsp fresh lemon zest
•4 quarts water
•2 cups white wine
•1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
Begin by lightly crushing the Sichuan and Tellicherry pepper corns with the sea salt.
Heat your oven to 400º.
Add the veggies and herbs to a large roasting pan and sprinkle with the crushed peppers and salt. Add the olive oil and toss to coat.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15. Add the lemon zest after 30 minutes.
Turn the veggies into a large stock pot and add the water and Aleppo pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming of any bits of scummy foam that may rise to the top.
Add the white wine and simmer for another 30 minutes, skimming, if you need to, tho’ most of that should be gone by now.
Taste the sauce and correct the seasoning if you must – I think it was pretty darned perfect – then strain through a fine-meshed sieve and discard the veggies.
Your stock will be fine in the fridge for five days, or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I had several plans for mine, including this; mussels in a garlic wine sauce with crusty ciabatta bread to soak up all that stocky goodness.
But that’s tomorrow’s post…