Much of my inspiration for recipes comes from the couple of cook books I’ve purchased (or have been gifted), and loooots comes from the internet.  Or as we tech savvy people call it, the World Wide Web.

I’m constantly amazed by the sheer amounts of information available on this W.W.W. in the tap of a few keys.  I often find myself doing searches on a particular ingredient, or ingredients, and going through recipes until I find one that:

• A) sounds good
• B) isn’t too processed foodie
• C) doesn’t take three days to make
• D) contains things I either have in the pantry/fridge, or can substitute for easily enough.

Most of the time within about 5 recipes I stumble onto something. 

One thing however that particularly irks me when vetting a recipe is when doing the mental check for ingredients: “check, check, check, yes, YES AND YES : BOOYA, this is totally happening tonight !”,

only to stumble on the buzz killer:

2 cups (insert ingredient), SEE PAGE 67.

This is bad news.  If ingredient called for on PAGE 67 is included on ANOTHER PAGE, usually because it needs ANOTHER PAGE to explain how to make it.  That’s where we hide recipes that actually do take three days and more often than not involve various cooking processes that can’t be done in a scrape-it-together weeknight meal: blanching, freezing, chilling, simmer for 45 minutes, etc.

I feel like this technique should be called inception recipe-ing, and I also feel like it should not be allowed.  Because unlike for Ellen and Leo, time does not actually move more slowly when we’re a layer in.  The “let soak overnight” actually does take THE WHOLE NIGHT.  45 minutes of unanticipated prep work, will take that, and probably more (enter whiny children, a phone call or two, an annoying work email,  and other minor distractions).

The point of all of this: I scoffed and scoffed until I realized that I was planning to post a recipe… that…. wait for it….calls for the stock made on page 67.  So I’m going to talk to you about inception stock, but I’m also going to give you the solution so that it really is inception stock: when you get to the second layer, you’ll bend the time/space continuum.

Freeze it!  Like in the freezer!  Make it on the weekend, pop in freezer bags and you’ve just layered in to save a good hour.  My editor Nini totally crinkled her nose at this idea.  “No way” she said.  “Trop compliqué.”  And I think she turned around and actually walked away.  I totally understand this response, and once upon a time would have thought the same thing. 

But really, try it – just once.  Make this on a weekend, when you have an hour around the house and you can get this going in the background: read your book, watch a movie, do housework, go for a run and have someone else keep an eye on the goods.  Make yourself freeze a couple of ziplocks and email me when you use this on a crazy Tuesday night to put together a quick as lightning soup. 

It’s easy.  And so much healthier than the industrialized veggie cubes that are a quick fix for flavoring  soups, sauteed veggies, pasta, etc.

This actually works with any number of combination of veggies and herbs.  Choose the ones you like best!

Just incepted an hour of prep time!

Inception Stock

12 cups of water

1 medium to large carrot, peeled and chopped into large chunks

1 large onion, peeled and cut into large quarters

1 stalk celery including the leaves, chopped into large chunks

2 cloves of garlic peeled crushed open (like with the side of a knife) but not minced

1 handful parsley leaves roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

Sometimes I add a handful of cilantro leaves if I have them on hand

I’ve also been known to add some kale leaves.

1 teaspoon large sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Once your veggies are peeled, rinsed and chopped, add everything to a large pot.  Bring to a rolling boil, stir everything and turn back the heat to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.  I usually cover the pot at this point and cut back the heat to low, just to maintain the simmer.  This is when you can go back to your book, take a nap, do some housework, go for a run, etc.

After an hour or so, remove from heat.  Let cool and strain the liquid.  For the remaining solids, sometimes the kids will eat the carrots and cooked onion as they come out of the pot.  I’ve also been known to throw all the solids in the blender to make a purée that I can sneak into mashed potatoes or pasta.  (The purée itself isn’t great, but when combined can add some nice flavor.)

Then distribute the liquid into ziplock bags, usually about 4 cups of stock per bag.  A nice trick I learned here: freeze the liquid flat in the bag and it defrosts much more quickly.  (Total aside: do we say more quickly or quicker?  Popular opinion on the internet seems to be divided!)

I shall now consider that I can make guilt-free reference to this recipe in other recipes in the near and far future.  You have been warned!