Vegetable Stock

Making your own vegetable stock may not feel particularly glamorous or exciting, but rest assured that nobody does it just once. With a little time and care, the depth of flavour you can achieve is quite remarkable, and this most humble of recipes can enhance your stews, soups, and casseroles immeasurably.

I often use this vegetable stock recipe as a base for my tomato soup.

Vegetable Stock

An essential ingredient for warming soups and tasty sauces, vegetable stock in the foundation of innumerable dishes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Servings: 3 litres
Calories: 216kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 large onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 leek
  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 25 g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 200 g mushrooms
  • 150 ml white wine (optional)
  • 3 litres cold water
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bunch parsley (stalks are fine)

Instructions

  • Roughly chop the onion, carrot, celery, and leek.
    Cut the garlic bulb in half through the equator.
  • Heat up the butter and oil together in a large stock pot, then add the prepared vegetables.
  • Allow the vegetables to soften while you roughly slice the mushrooms.
  • Add the mushrooms and continue stirring occasionally until everything has softened and coloured.
  • If you want to use wine, add this now, and allow it to reduce by half to boil off the alcohol.
  • Add 3 litres of cold water to the pan, and then bring it up to a boil.
  • If scum has appeared on the surface, skim it off with a spoon and discard.
  • Turn the stock down to a simmer, and add the peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and parsley.
  • (I often cut all the leaves off the parsley, and throw in just the bundle of stalks – you will get the same flavour.)
  • Place on the lid of the stockpot, and simmer for 1-2 hours, until the stock is a rich brown colour.
  • Strain the stock through a fine sieve, or ideally a muslin cloth, and discard the vegetables.
  • If you wanted to season your stock, you should do it now. I generally do not season it.
  • Allow the stock to cool, and then store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

For an even more intense stock, and dried mushrooms, tomato pureé, or seaweed
For a lighter but clearer stock, do not fry the vegetables in fat, simply add to cold water and bring to a boil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1litreCalories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 41mgPotassium: 564mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5764IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg
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