Recipe: Basic veg stock – Innings Gate Co.

This recipe is from Front Door Organics, the company that I get my fruits & veg delivered by. You can read the original post here.

Sunday is a great day for making a veggie stock, not only because then you have a home-made stock on hand for use during the week, but you can use any veggie off cuts that you collect in the week prior (think onion and carrot butts, mushroom stalks, celeriac peel, the tops of leeks, and more). The essential basis for any vegetable stock is a mirepoix – a ratio of 2:1:1 of onions, celery, and carrots – but you can add many other different vegetables to achieve great flavours.

Now, no stock should be used as a vegetable graveyard – to yield great flavour you need good quality organic vegetables in tip-top condition. Also, cooks and chefs will tell you that there are certain things that should never be used in stocks. Although not everyone will always concur on the ‘rules’ most will agree that turnips and rutabagas are not suited to stocks, neither are broccoli, cabbage, kale and other brassicas – just think of the smell of the vegetable steaming – anything too pungent is not generally used. Also avoid using ground spices or excessive amounts of greens as this will make the stock bitter.

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind when making a vegetable stock:

– Cook at a lively simmer uncovered
– Do not salt the stock rather add salt when you using the stock in your soups and sauces
– Skim any froth or foam that forms on the surface for a clear stock
– Do not stir or agitate the stock if you are trying for a clear final product
– Cut vegetables into chunks about 1 – 2 inches wide
– Only simmer vegetable based stocks for 45 minutes at the most
– Don’t allow a stock to stand after cooking, drain immediately and store in clean glass jars in your fridge

YOU WILL NEED:

1 large onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 garlic clove, slightly squished
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of parsley
1 sprig of thyme
8 black peppercorns
Leftover vegetable pairings

NOTE:
Make a bouquet garni with the herbs and the peppercorns – FDO uses tea sachets that you can often find in Asian grocery stores (they are re-usable and compostable, too). Cheesecloth, which is what I use, will work fine also and can be washed and re-used. (Although I do not wash and re-use mine!)

I got my tea sachets in a giftbag at The Design Exchange’s Black & White Gala, but I’m sure you can buy them at Fresh & Wild, as they carry the Nourish Tea line… or any actual tea shop, like David’s. My package of cheesecloth is from the dollar store. Maybe I should have bought non-bleached cheesecloth, but whatchagonnado?

DIRECTIONS:

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat and add the onions, celery and carrots. Cook until they start to brown then add the water, other vegetable pairings you may or may not be using, the squished garlic, and the herb sachet. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat until you have a lively simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes, skimming any froth that may form on the surface.

To strain, place a layer of cheesecloth inside a mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Very gently pour the stock through the sieve being careful not to agitate the stock too much. The cheesecloth will catch any of those tiny particles that will cloud your stock. When it is fully drained, remove the cheesecloth and compost the contents (the cheesecloth will rinse clean very easily in hot water if you are re-using it).

Transfer the stock to a nice clean jar and refrigerate. It will last in your fridge for at least a week and is useful for more than just soups! Great for thinning sauces, braising vegetables in or for using as a base to make an elaborate sauce. Remember to season it as you use it. (Salt addicts like me have a hard time waiting to add it, but I try to salt my soup after I’ve served it individually – to taste – so that the whole soup doesn’t get overly salty.)

One of the other pluses of ordering fruits & veg from FDO is that they always include great recipes with your Good Food Box. It’s also just so nice to not have to lug all those f&v home (even though I do have a new stylish damask-patterned not-so-granny cart that I received at Christmas from J&M). And yes, finding a Good Food Box waiting on your doorstep is just like a visit from Santa – my kind of Santa anyway.

Enjoy!