DSH-Consult - ... a plate on life #soupDSH-Consult - ... a plate on life #souphttps://dshconsult.com/aplateonlife/tag/soupMon, 20 Apr 2026 18:47:33 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[THE STOCK POT OF LIFE]]>https://dshconsult.com/aplateonlife/post/the-stock-pot-of-lifeWhen making stock, you combine basic ingredients that, on their own, may not hold much value.   However, by taking time and effort to clean, ]]>

When making stock, you combine basic ingredients that, on their own, may not hold much value.  

However, by taking time and effort to clean, simmer, and reduce, you can create something greater than the sum of its parts.  

In some classic French restaurants, the stock pot is kept going by just adding the peels and offcuts of the day to the stock pot.  

This process provides a consistent supply of good usable stock for cooking. 

This emphasizes that even the “offcuts,” which may seem worthless, 

can blossom and release their flavour to the greater good when placed in the right circumstances.

Ingredients:
  • 1kg beef/lamb/pork/chicken bones or meat offcuts
  • 15ml oil for roasting
  • 5 whole black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 200g unpeeled carrot, washed, chopped roughly
  • 200g unpeeled, washed, onion, chopped roughly
  • 100g unpeeled, washed, celery, chopped roughly
  • 2-3 lt. cold water
  • good dose of persistence
  • lovely attitude

To prepare the stock:

  1. Place all the ingredients on a roasting tray, except the water, & toss with the oil.
  2. Roast in an oven at 180°C, uncovered, until nicely charred.
  3. Add all the ingredients to a stock pot along with the cold water.
  4. slowly bring the pot to a gentle simmer, ensuring it stays on this slow simmer for 5hours
  5. Skim the impurities from the top as they appear. The stock should be clear when strained. 
It’s important to note:
  • Charring generates the initial flavour. Without it, your stock is going to be bland & flavourless. The same way a difficult life situation can develop the person you become. You have to live a little to gain experience, it generates tenacity, & it gives flavour to your existence. 
  • Stock should never boil. Boiling makes the stock cloudy, this is the same as getting angry, when life hits us hard. Our judgement is clouded, we say things we don’t mean. It’s essential to manage the heat in our lives & remove impurities as they happen. 
  • You never salt a stock. You could end up with a salty sauce or soup. This is like when we make assumptions about current situations before letting the process complete.
  • When finished, strain the stock, & discard the meaty bones, vegetables, & peels. All the nutrition & flavour are now in the water, so it’s important to prioritize what is essential.
  • Reduce the stock further, this increases the flavour & starts to thicken it naturally. This is like the concept of waiting for the right time rather than forcing situations. Now that the stock is done & reduced, you can use it to make sauces or soups. When making sauces, you add more flavourings, wines, & butter for shine. This teaches us that it is important to spend time on the process, caramelising the onions, reducing the wine, showing discipline even in good times.

Life works in a similar way. We are challenged with various experiences to create a “pot of life,” 
& just like a chef watching over the stock pot, God never leaves us alone. In the most challenging 
times we are facing, we can turn to Him for solace & peace. 
Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; 
He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
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