My current working strategy is a ham hock and chicken stock. I would like to switch to something that doesn’t involve dead animals.
(As a side note - I’ve noticed that if I leave my beans soaking for a little longer, they seem to bubble and ferment. Could I possibly make alcohol this way?)
Braised onions, mushroom stock, liquid smoke for that smoky flavour if you miss it.
Don’t forget to finish the dish with a drizzle of nice vinegar to brighten it up, too much of just savoury ingredients in any dish will make it taste flat.