Soup Stock Cube Ideas?

August 4, 2008 9:51 AM

Now that I've got my delicious vegetable soup stock frozen into cubes, I need some suggestions on utilizing them!

Making soup from stock is great, but I've also got a couple of bags of frozen stock blocks (made in the ice tray) waiting for inspiration. Help me use these little cubes of awesome in new ways! (Vegetarian suggestions only, please.)

posted by Aquaman to food & drink (10 comments total)

Stock adds flavor where you would have just used water. Try cooking rice/barley/quinoa in your stock, in the same ratio as water is called for.

Also, if you make a roux (cook equal parts by volume of your favorite shortening with flour), you can then add it (once it's cooled a bit) to boiling stock to make a gravy.

¡Buen provecho!
posted by Citrus at 10:13 AM on August 4, 2008

Vegan, or are cream-based bechamel-like sauces ok? I use a couple of stock cubes when making baked macaroni & cheese, in the cheese sauce part, as well.
posted by kellyblah at 10:15 AM on August 4, 2008

You could use them to cool off soup that's too hot to handle, as long as the flavor works. This way you wouldn't be watering it down.
posted by dondiego87 at 10:16 AM on August 4, 2008

Definitely tomato sauce. I make a big pot of it once a week, and always add vegetable soup stock to add depth and flavour.
posted by Mutant at 10:27 AM on August 4, 2008

I like making rice with stock, or sometimes part stock/part water. Definitely adds a great flavor, especially if you are doing a pilaf or paella or something.

Beans cooked in stock are also FANTASTIC -- quite a luxury. Again, this is a good place to throw in a few cubes if you don't want to go whole hog and use an entire block of stock.
posted by rossination at 10:54 AM on August 4, 2008

Risotto. You can always tell when someone made risotto with water or canned stock vs. fresh stock.
posted by junesix at 11:14 AM on August 4, 2008

Partially melt and then refreeze them into a huge block, then carve a soup stock swan.
Serve your sweating swan over a pile of snap peas, or another vegetable that is best served cold.
posted by rmless at 11:58 AM on August 4, 2008

You might try stock-based pasta sauce which is a nice change from the usual red sauce. Sauté up your veggies first (say, garlic, wild mushrooms), then add your stock and maybe some white wine. Toward the end, toss in some cherry tomatoes that you've halved and some fresh herbs if you want. Then dump in your already cooked pasta (I like linguine or bowties) and let that soak up the flavour for a few minutes.
posted by drmarcj at 11:59 AM on August 4, 2008

My SO makes the worlds' best scalloped potatoes, and part of the trick is using vege stock. (I'd give you the recipe, but I just wait for her to make it.. I suppose I must learn one day...)
posted by pompomtom at 10:39 PM on August 4, 2008

Throwing in a cube or two works well with a stir fry to add to the umami-ness
posted by shokod at 3:46 AM on August 5, 2008