It's a soup stock kind of day

[tsaiko]

Making stock today because it's cold enough in the apartment that we won't be bothered if I heat up the kitchen for the next 4-5 hours. I've got onion, some carrots that were getting a bit gone, leek tops (that I froze last time I made a dish with leeks), celery (left over from another dish and frozen so they wouldn't go bad), some dried porcini mushrooms that I found in the cabinet, herbs, bay leaves, salt, white pepper, and two ham hocks that have been in the freezer too long.

So basically it's a pantry/freezer raid stock. I'll simmer it for the next few hours, then put it in bags in 1-2 cup measurements. Mostly I'll use it to make rice and vegetables in the Southern belief that all vegetables are better when they're flavored with pork.

I am so looking forward to this nice, relaxing weekend.