Victorious Vegetable Stock Food

VICTORIOUS VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Use the flat side of a chef's knife to gently crush the garlic cloves.
• Wash unpeeled vegetables well and cut them roughly into large pieces. Add to a large stock pot along with all other ingredients. Add entire sprigs of the herbs rather than removing the leaves from the stem.
• Cover with water. Water level should be about 4 inches above the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam from the top of the broth, then partially cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of the cooking time, if you wish to make the stock richer, remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered to slightly reduce it.
• When the stock has cooled slightly, strain it through a sieve or cloth, pressing all of the remaining liquid out of the vegetables. Compost or discard the remaining vegetables. What you don't eat immediately can be refrigerated for 3-5 days, or frozen.

BASIC VEGETABLE STOCK

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).

RICH VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Toss vegetables, garlic, and herbs with oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute.
• Transfer vegetables with juices to a 4-quart pot. Add water, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, 45 minutes. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids.

VEGETABLE STOCK

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.

BASIC VEGETABLE STOCK

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?

VEGETABLE STOCK

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 4 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until stock is reduced by half, 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. DO AHEAD: Stock can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool completely, then cover and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.