Stock (food) facts for kids
Stock in cooking is a liquid that adds a lot of flavor to food. It's used as a base for many yummy dishes, especially soups and sauces. Stock helps make food taste richer and more delicious.
You make stock by gently cooking (this is called simmering) things like animal bones, meat, fish, or vegetables in water. Sometimes, a little wine is added too. To make it even more flavorful, cooks often add a mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery. This mix is called a mirepoix.
You can also find ready-made stock ingredients. These include things like bouillon cubes or stock cubes. They are super handy for quick meals. If you have a pressure cooker, you can make stock much faster.
Most stocks need to simmer for a few hours to get all the flavor out. But if you're making fish stock, it cooks much quicker. It only needs about twenty minutes. Cooking it longer can make it taste bitter.
Once you've made stock, you can keep it in the fridge for about three or four days. If you want to keep it longer, you can boil it again. This helps it stay fresh for a few more days. Many people also freeze stock in small portions. This way, they always have some ready to use.
Images for kids
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Pouring fish stock on a stuffed fish
