Stock: It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

[Speaking of stock](http://omnivorousfish.com/node/136), I was cooking a rabbit this evening (the butcher of which I should have blogged- oh well) and I was making a little scrap-*fond*, as I call it, or a quick stock made with the leftovers of what’s in front of me. It’s a perfect illustration of what I was talking about.

The way I butcher a rabbit, I’m left with part of the tailbone, the neck and some scraps from the foreleg and ribs. Some people butcher rabbits into larger pieces, and are left only with the neck and maybe some scraps from the hind legs if they joint the knee (I leave the knees in).

Anyway, I butchered the rabbit and braised it smothered in shallots, so guess what I had lying around? Rabbit bones and shallot trimmings. The papery skins don’t do much, but the tough outer layers you should have pared away and the stem and root tips are great for stock. I covered these tidbits with cold water, and brought it to a boil. I skimmed the foam, added some *mignonette* (coarse) pepper and a bay leaf, and let it perk away until I was done what I was doing.

I’m telling you all this because I want you to see that stock can be as simple or as complicated as you want. This brew isn’t as flavorful or complex as brown veal stock made with mirepoix. That’s not what this is. But, this white rabbit stock is so much better than water.