Caldo (stock) is my favorite Spanish comfort food. Whether you drink a hot bowl of caldo by itself or boil some pasta in it to serve it as an appetizer, this delicious comfort food can be made easily and will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Homemade caldo does not need a lot of time and attention: it takes just 20 minutes to cook caldo de pescado (fish stock), and up to 2 1/2 hours for most caldo de carne (meat stocks).
Caldo de pescado: Fish Stock
Fish stock can be made with a mixture of any white fish and crustaceans, and crabs are a very good addition.
For 12 cups of fish stock you will need: 5 tsp of olive oil; 14oz. Crabs, 3 3/4 of fish; 1 gallon of water.
Put a large pot over medium heat, then add the olive oil. Add the crabs. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the fish. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Skim the foam from the surface. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cool before putting into containers.
Caldo de ternera: Beef Stock
For 8 cups of beef stock you will need: 1 small onion, 4 1/2 oz of beef scraps or cheap pieces of meat, such as shank; 1 1/2 oz. of beef bones, raw; 2 1/2 lb. of carrots; 6 lb. of celery and 1 1/3 gallons of water.
Instructions: Cut the onion in half. put the beef and bones in a very large stock pot with the carrots, onion and celery. Pour in the cold water and bring to boil. Skim the foam from the surface. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Strain though a fine-mesh sieve. Cool before putting into containers.
Caldo de jamón: Ham Stock
This recipe requires the bones from a cured ham. Ask your butcher to supply them. Remove any meat from the bones and use in another recipe.
For 8 cups of ham stock you will need: 3lb. of Ham bones, 1 gallon of water.
Instructions: Remove most of the meat from the ham bones. put bones into a very large saucepan. Pour in the cold water and bring to boil. Skim the foam from the surface. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cool and skim away any fat from the surface before putting into containers.
Caldo de pollo: Chicken Stock
For 8 cups of chicken stock you will need: 1 small onion, 1 whole, cleaned, raw chicken carcasses (2 1/2 lb. equals 4 carcasses); 1 1/2 oz. of beef bones, raw; 1 big carrot; 1 celery and 1 1/3 gallons of water.
Instructions: Cut the onion in half. put the carrot, onion, celery, and chicken carcasses into a very large pot. Pour in the cold water then bring it to boil. Skim the foam from the surface. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken and the vegetables and strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Note: After straining the ingredients for meat-based stocks, do not throw the bones and other ingredients away! They can be reboiled for 45 more minutes and the liquid from this second boiling called “segundo caldo” (second stock), can be used instead of water when making the next batch of stock to give it a deeper flavor. Fresh stock will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Enjoy!
