Easy Prep Vegetable Stock Recipes

BASIC VEGETABLE BROTH

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add celery, potato, carrot, onion, mushrooms (if using), garlic, water, soy sauce, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and let the vegetable broth simmer for at least an hour, covered with a lid.
• Strain out the vegetables and garlic and remove the bay leaves once the broth is done cooking.

BASIC VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Chop scrubbed vegetables into 1-inch chunks. Remember, the greater the surface area, the more quickly vegetables will yield their flavor.
• Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, scallions, garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add salt and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain. Discard vegetables.
• Other ingredients to consider: mushrooms, eggplant, asparagus (butt ends), corn cobs, fennel (stalks and trimmings), bell peppers, pea pods, chard (stems and leaves), celery root parings, marjoram (stems and leaves), basil, potato parings . . . Get the idea?

EASY PREP VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Buy the whole head of celery but use the top half for this stock. Rinse any dirt off the leaves and put in a large stock pot. Any outer stalks that you wouldn't use in cooking can be added as well.
• Add a whole bunch of parsley and a bay leaf.
• Trim the roots off the onion and cut in half. Only remove the skins if they are split and dusty, otherwise just leave them on.
• Cut the tops off the carrots, wash and cut in half lengthways.
• Add the water and put on to simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
• Strain the vegetables. I do this in a colander (not a sieve) and squash the celery to get every last bit of flavour out of it. The stock is still lovely and clear and full of flavour.
• Note: I don't season this stock since I'm going to use it in another recipe anyway.

VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Tip everything into a large saucepan with a pinch of salt then cover with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Pass through a sieve and use for your intended recipe. Will keep in the fridge for a week and for six months in the freezer.