Vegetable Stock

[Guest guest]

Source: New Recipes from the MooseWood Restaurant

yields: 2 quarts

 

Vegetable Stock

 

Vegetable Stock is a broth made by simmering vegetables in water

until they are soft and their flavors and nutrients have been released

into the liquid. Then the stock is poured through a strainer and the

vegetables are either discarded or used, pureed, to thicken a soup.

The best vegetables to use in stock are carrots, peeled onions,

celery, zucchini, potatoes, parsley, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and

squash. We often throw in chunks of apples or pears to sweeten the

stock a little-especially if the carrots we're using aren't very sweet.

It's wise to avoid the strongly flavored vegetables of the cabbage

family, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and turnips, rutabagas, and

kohlrabi-and vegetables with bleeding colors, such as beets, red

cabbage, and greens ( unless you intend to make a borsht or cream of

green soup) Green peppers and eggplant will make the stock bitter. Be

cautious about adding lots of tomatoes or other acidic fruits or

vegetables to the stock, because they may curdle the soup if you add

milk or other dairy products later on.

Wash all vegetables thoroughly, especially root vegetables. Making

stock is the perfect solution for vegetables that are too unattractive

cosmetically to be used in other ways. Leftover carrot sticks, parsley

stems, and unused halves of onion can all be tossed into the pot.

 

2 Large unpeeled potatoes, quartered

2 Large carrots, peeled and sliced thickly

1 Large onion, peeled and quartered

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 apple or pear, seeded and quartered

1 bay leaf

12 peppercorns

10 cups water ( 2 1/2 quarts)

 

Put all of the ingredients into a large pot, bring to a boil, and

simmer for 45 minutes to and hour, strain and use.

For a spicier stock throw in some garlic cloves, skins and all, and

a small amount of tomato. For a specifically Asian broth, add ginger,

scallions and shiitake mushrooms. Or make it sweet for a carrot puree

or Scandinavian fruit soup with the addition of sweet potato or winter

squash.