Boungiorno My Culinarians!
Today we are looking at “Fond Blanc”, an Unroasted Fond (Stock) used for dishes with Subtle flavours, White sauces, White Based Soups and White Meat Dishes just to name a few. Fond Blanc is, just like Fond Brun, a highly Flavourful Liquid, non-fatty, aromatic with sheen and a light Sandy Blond Colour. A Well Prepared and Produced Stock, should set up into a Gelatinous Wobble, and, resemble that wobbly Sunday-Jelly-and-Custard-Feast that were so popular in the 80’s (…you all remember it..?)
In Fond Blanc (Blanc being the French Word for White) we use less tomato Paste, that ensures a Deeper Rich Brown Colour in a Good Fond Brun. We rinse the bones and sweat off our Mire Poix, add the Cold Water + Bouquet Garni/ Spice d’ Epice and Voila, the Stock is ready to be Simmered!
The most common Classic Fond Brun would be a White Chicken Stock. Use this as a Poaching Liquid, Boil Rice in it, prepare Risotto with it, use it in various Chicken Based Sauces & Soups as a Base to trap flavours in….the list continues…catch my drift…?
Fond Blanc (Poulet) aka White Chicken Stock
Ingredients:
5kg Bones (Beef, Veal, Mutton or Chicken Bones), Cleaned (Wiped) and Trimmed.
30 ml Tomato Puree
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, Light
Dash of Olive oil
10L Cold Water
700g Mire Poix (Say Mier-pwoa) Vegetables [In Italian, “Sofrito”, or in Cajun Cooking it is called Cajun Trinity):
300g Onions, Brown, Diced (Brown Onions are the most aromatic)
200g Celery, Diced
200g Carrots, Diced
(You can use more or less vegetables and do your own combination of the three vegetables as well…)
Bouquet Garni (Herb Bundle):
Parsley Stalks, Thyme, Rosemary, Origanum, Coriander Stalks, Bay Leaf, Lemon Leaf bound together with cotton string.
Epice d’Sachet (Spice Baggie) [Use a small piece of muslin square + cotton string.]
10 Peppercorns, Black
1 Clove
Optional:
1 cup of Sauvignon or Chenin Blanc
Or
1/2 Cup of Medium Dry Sherry
Or
1 Bottle of Pale Ale
For them bones -Instructions:
1. Rinse the bones, pat dry, set aside.
Stockpot- Instructions:
1. Place a small dot of olive oil in your pot, place it on GENTLE HEAT (no don’t be hasty or your baby will turn out to be bitter!).
2. Start to gently sauté your Mire Poix Veggies stirring often.
3. You want the More Poix to slowly become caramelised, transparent, soft, and sweet, so no “hard heat” at this point, okay?
4. This step will take at least 15-20 minutes or so…cover in-between stirrings with a lid to cause the Mire Poix veggies to soften, steam and not burn. Once done, turn off the heat and take off the stove. Cool slightly.
5. Now place your Cleaned bones in the cooled Mire poix mix, in goes the Bouquet Garni bundle and Epice d’Spice baggie that you have just tied with string.
6. Pour 10L of Cold Tap Water onto the bones. Add the Vino. Return to the stove.
7. Keep a jar of water & a large spoon at hand for skimming off the impurities on the top of the stock. Leaving it un-skimmed will cause a murky, unclear outcome. Skim often.
8. Turn on the heat to medium high and stand by – we want the Stock to come to a boil.
9. Once you see the bubbles rolling onto the surface, turn down the heat to a slow simmer.
10. This baby needs to cook for 6-8hrs (Preferably 8) to develop maximum flavour, richness and colour. Gently just “lift” the ingredients off from the bottom of the pot to ensure it is not burning (very gentle “stir”).
11. After 8 hours take off the heat and cool slightly for half an hour. Strain into a clean pot. You can discard the rest and use in your garden.
12. The Fond is ready to use as is or, chill and freeze.
PS: You could add Mushrooms to this Stock for earthy notes! Your Stock should set up in the refrigerator into a gel. Scoop off the fat, bag in 500ml baggies and freeze – label, date, specify! Next time you boil Pasta or Rice, use this aromatic Fond – you will impart tons of flavour!
Did you know:
Fond Blanc & Fond Brun, just like Bone broth, contains high amounts of Collagen, that was extracted from the bones and cartilage. It also contains various nutrients and is therefore extremely healthy and nutritious! Collagen is not only the component that keeps our Skin feeling Plump and Young, but it is a Natural “Gut Repair”, healing you from the inside out… so Foodthologists, I recommend that you drink an old ‘muggo’ of Stock or Bone broth daily for that Ever So Youthful Beauty – it will leave you looking Amazing and feeling Great!