Basic Light Vegetable Stock Recipes

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?

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl toss the oil with onions, carrots, garlic, leeks and arrange them in a roasting pan.
• Place pan in oven and roast, stirring once, for 45 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
• In a large saucepan or stock pot combine the roasted vegetables with carrot tops, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, peppercorns, clove and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour or until the broth is reduced to about 8 cups. Strain.
• Additions for Summer Stock: summer squash, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, bell peppers, corn cobs, marjoram, oregano, basil.
• Instead of first roasting vegetables, saute them over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown. Complete recipe as above.
• Additions for Winter Stock: celery root, parsley root, dried sage, mushrooms (both dried or 1 pound fresh).

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients with 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes. Strain and discard solids; let cool completely. Stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Wash the vegetables well, removing any soil or sand.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a large soup pot and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
• On high heat, bring the stock to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
• When the vegetables are quite soft and have lost their bright colors, the stock is done.
• Strain the stock through a large colander or sieve, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
• Discard or compost the vegetable solids.
• Use the stock right away, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very soft and broth is pale golden, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat if necessary to maintain low simmer, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with more salt, if desired. Strain broth through colander; discard vegetables. Strain broth again through fine-mesh strainer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Chop the leeks (which have been trimmed and well washed to remove any interior dirt; use white and light green parts only), onions, carrots, celery and parsley.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the vegetables and stir-fry to brown lightly.
• Add 1 1/2 gallons of cold water.
• Also add the marjoram, thyme and bay leaves.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour.
• Strain stock through cheesecloth-lined strainer, cool, and chill or freeze.

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil with remaining ingredients in a 10- to 12-quart pot and boil gently 1 hour, or until vegetables are completely soft.
• Pour stock through a colander into a large bowl. Strain stock again, through a fine sieve into another large bowl.

Steps:

• Place water in stock pot and add vegetables, garlic and sachet.
• Heat on high to simmering but do not allow to boil.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Skim whatever scum rises to surface.
• Simmer, covered, for 3 hours, but do not stir.
• Check occasionally to make sure stock isn't boiling and to skim surface if necessary.
• Season with salt.
• Cool; remove vegetables and strain stock.