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GLOSSARY / METHODS

VENISON STOCK

1.8 kg/4 lbs venison bones
4 tablespoons/¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon/15 ml crushed juniper berries
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon/15 ml black pepper
4 chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon/15 ml thyme
2 star anise pods
4 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Place the bones on an oven tray and roast in the preheated oven until browned all over.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil and lightly fry the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Add the roasted bones and the rest of the ingredients and 4 liters/8.5 pts cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer, regularly skimming the brown foam that forms on the surface.  Simmer for 4 hours, then remove from the heat.  Cool to room temperature, then strain, do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become  cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the surface.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Discard the solids.

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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