Moosewood: Vegetable Stock

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Vegetable Stock

 

Recipe By : New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant, page 30

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Moosewood Soups And Stews

Vegan Vegetarian

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 large unpeeled potatoes -- quartered

2 large peeled carrots -- sliced thickly

1 large onion -- peeled and quartered

1 stalk celery -- chopped

1 apple or pear -- seeded and quartered

1 bay leaf

12 peppercorns

10 cups water (2 1/2 quarts)

 

Put all of the ingredients into a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 45

minutes to an hour. Strain and use.

 

For a spicier stock throw in some garlic cloves, skins and all, and a small

amount of tomato. For a specifically Asian broth, add ginger, scallions, and

shiitake mushrooms. Or, make it sweet for a carrot purée or Scandinavian fruit

soup with the addition of sweet potato or winter squash.

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Stock is a broth made by simmering vegetables in water until they are

soft and their flavors and nutrients have been released into the liquid. Then

the stock is poured through a strainer and the vegetables are either discarded

or used, puréed, to thicken a soup.

 

The best vegetables to use in stock are carrots, peeled onions, celery,

zucchini, potatoes, parsley, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and squash. We often

throw in chunks of apples or pears to sweeten the stock a little - especially if

the carrots we're using aren't very sweet. It's wise to avoid the strongly

flavored vegetables of the cabbage family, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and

turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi - and vegetables with bleeding colors, such as

beets, red cabbage, and greens (unless you intend to make a borscht or cream of

green soup). Green peppers and eggplant will make the stock bitter. Be cautious

about adding lots of tomatoes or other acidic fruits or vegetables to the stock,

because they may curdle the soup if you add milk or other dairy products later

on.

 

Wash all vegetables thoroughly, especially root vegetables. Making stock is the

perfect solution for vegetables that are too unattractive cosmetically to be

used in other ways. Left over carrot sticks, parsley stems, and unused halves of

onion can all be tossed into the pot.

 

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