When I first started cooking and even as I learned a bit along the way, the idea of stock meant bones, blanching, simmering, skimming, time, vegetables, straining, and chilling. The idea of stock was very traditional and there were rules to be followed. It was a rigid practice that varied from chef to chef and kitchen to kitchen, and in each individual environment those rules were not to be broken. Stock was considered a sacred thing. Today’s new, at least new to me, stocks are much more flexible. These seasoned liquids are based around ingredients whose flavor we want to harness and use either as a cooking medium or perhaps as the base for a dish, sauce, or condiment. The most recent experimental stock was made with black olives. We combined salt-cured olives, molasses, and water in a pressure cooker. The intense flavor and body that we were able to capture in the resulting elixir was simply amazing. Tradition is important and should be respected, although occasionally bucking the system can lead to great results.
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