Umami stock

Quick umami stock

Umami is defined as the fifth flavour or taste…not sweet, sour, salty or bitter but
a 'meatiness' that is just there. It is the flavour that makes us want to eat more 
and more. Chemically it is the glutamates that are found in meat seafood,
mushrooms,  tomatoes and other foodstuffs. That is why Chinese takeaway
food can be so moreish - it contains monosodium glutamate. Umami can also
be thought of as depth of flavour.

With vegetarian and vegan cuisine we don't have the meat to create the umami so we
have developed ways to introduce it into our Cooking.

Usually in the café we make a brown stock or Demi glace made from slow sauteeing
vegetables, and slow boiling them with herbs, dried wild mushrooms and tomatoes.
The result is a deep flavoured stock that when used in a Soup, stew or a sauce can
create a well rounded and tasty result. This process take a few hours and one doesn't
always have enough time to devote to it.

This umami stock recipe was created to transform soups, sauces and stocks into
something delicious with minimum effort. I use brown stock alot in my recipes so this
is well worth getting to know.

The recipe

1 litre Water

100ml Tomato sauce (Use any commercial pasta sauce, passata or sofrito)

Few Dried wild mushrooms

2 Vegetable stock cubes

Splash of red wine (optional)

Dash of Worcester sauce (veggie) or Soy sauce or brown sauce

Method

Place the water into a pan with the wild mushrooms and crushed stock cube and bring it slowly to the
boil. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Use wherever a recipe requires a stock or the addition of a
liquid.