Vegetable Stock

     Have you ever wondered what the difference between a stock and broth is? Making a meat broth or stock uses different cooking methods, resulting in distinctly different tastes. Vegetable broth and stock use the same cooking method, a combination of vegetables slowly simmered, trying to extract as much flavor as possible. When just vegetables are simmered, you have a stock. It is a flavored liquid that has not had seasoning's added. Stocks work really well when making soups or sauces that you want to start out using a neutral base and want the flexibility to adjust the flavors to fit the recipe you are making. In addition to simmering vegetables, broths are cooked with seasoning's like bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, springs of herbs like rosemary or thyme. These bring out a richer depth of flavor. When making a broth I reserve adding salt until the end, if I am going to add any. Stocks are meant to be used like building blocks in a recipe where as a broth can stand on its own and be served like a soup or sipped like tea.

Here is what you need to make 2 quarts of basic vegetable stock:
make sure all the vegetables are washed before making the broth

1 large onion, cut in quarters (I like to use a sweet onion)
3 carrots, ends cut off, then cut in large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in large pieces or use the leafy center of celery
1 - 1 1/2 cups root vegetable (l-2 turnips, 3 parsnips or 1 rutabaga)
1 cup winter squash (like butternut, banana, acorn, kabocha)
2 cups of dark greens (kale, parsley, collard greens, chard, beet greens)
1 cup cabbage
2" piece of ginger, leave skin on, cut in slices
3 cloves of whole garlic, smash and remove outer skin


Add all the ingredients to a soup pot and add 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover and let cook at least 1 hour. Taste to check for flavor. Let cook longer to develop flavor if needed.

Remove from the heat, remove lid and allow to cool. Strain into a large bowl or another pan. You want to remove the cooked vegetables and discard them. Transfer the strained broth to a 2 quart glass container with a sealed lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze some for later use.

You can certainly vary the mix of vegetables. Leeks make a wonderful addition, so do tomatoes, and mushrooms.