Terrible Mother Hen.

Two weeks in and after having multiple babies I'm going to hire a babysitter. I can't hack it anymore!

Yes babies.

We were told in class that making stock is like looking after a baby. You have to constantly watch it (so it doesn't start boiling) and care for it (keep skimming the impurities off the top). I had to share my baby with the teacher this week and after having it drilled into us now for two weeks that our stocks are our babies I still wasn't prepared when he yelled out in a thick Irish accent..

"OUR BABY IS CRYING!"

I just stood there looking at him dumbstruck thinking 'huh?' until I saw our stock bubbling away out of control. oops!

I've had 2 Brown beef baby, 1 white chicken baby, 1 white fish baby and a brown chicken baby. Been a busy mother hen over the past two weeks and ready to hand them all off to daycare.

Brown beef baby in the back and my White fish baby in the front.

If your keen to make a brown beef baby then here is the process;

• Brown your beef bones and pat off any excess fat.
• Place in a pot with COLD water covering all the bones.
• Bring to the boil and reduce immediately to a simmer- like you have the shakes after a night out.
• Deglaze the pan you used to cook the bones in and add liquid to stock pot.
• Cook for 4-6 hours continuously skimming the top taking off the impurities.
• In the last hour of cooking add your browned mirepoix and bouquet garni. 

Hint: If you boil your stock it will become cloudy (a no no!), if you use hot water to start you cook the impurities in rather then letting them come to the top (also a no no!) and if you add your mirepoix too early the vegetables will soak all the flavour up and your left with a water baby.

I am hanging out for the soups and sauces part of this topic but as we keep getting reminded in class; you need a good stock to make a good sauce. So... keep an eye on your baby readers because a good sauce can make a dish an a bad sauce can ruin it!

Enjoy making babies and thanks for reading again!