White Stock
Unroasted veal or chicken bones — the base for Velouté
The same idea as brown stock with the roasting left out, and blanched first so it stays pale. It is what Velouté is built on, and the reason a velouté-based sauce can be ivory rather than beige.
Blanching feels wasteful and is not. It removes the scum that would otherwise cloud the pot.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds veal or chicken bones, chopped
- 5 quarts cold water, plus more for blanching
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 leek, white part only, split and washed
- 2 carrots, in large pieces
- 2 celery stalks, in large pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 10 parsley stems
- 6 white peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
Instructions
- Put the bones in a stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes — the pot will look unpleasant, which is the point.
- Drain, discard the water, and rinse the bones and the pot thoroughly.
- Return the bones to the clean pot with the 5 quarts of cold water. Bring very slowly to a bare simmer.
- Skim any remaining foam, then add the vegetables and aromatics.
- Simmer gently, uncovered, for 4 hours, never letting it boil. Skim now and then.
- Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin, without pressing.
- Cool quickly and refrigerate; lift off the fat when set.
Notes
- Chicken bones make chicken velouté, veal makes veal. Match the stock to what you will serve the sauce with.
- See also: Velouté, Chicken Stock, Brown Stock.