Homemade Vegetable Stock Recipe

Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting your culinary journey, having a good vegetable stock recipe in your repertoire is invaluable. Not only does it serve as a flavorful base for a variety of dishes, but it also offers a wholesome way to utilize leftover vegetable scraps. In this blog post, we'll explore a basic yet versatile vegetable stock recipe that can elevate the taste of your soups, stews, sauces, and more. 

Homemade vegetable stock recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 handful of parsley stems
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Optional: other vegetable scraps like mushroom stems, bell pepper cores, or tomato ends
  Note: Almost anything goes here, but avoid cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. They have sulfur-containing compounds that can make your soup bitter.
• Salt to taste
• 10 cups of water

Instructions:

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften and brown slightly, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the bay leaf, parsley stems, peppercorns, and any other vegetable scraps you're using to the pot. Add a generous dash of salt.
5. Pour in the water, making sure it covers all the vegetables. Use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits of vegetables that have stuck to the pot.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. As it simmers, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface with a spoon. Taste and add salt or seasoning as needed as the stock develops.
8. Once the stock has simmered and the vegetables have released their flavors, strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another pot or large bowl. Discard the solids.
9. Let the stock cool completely before transferring it to storage containers.
10. Store the vegetable stock in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for longer storage.

You can use this homemade vegetable stock as a base for soups, stews, sauces, or any other recipe that calls for broth or stock. It's a versatile staple and a great way to use up leftover vegetables!