MAKES ABOUT 4 QUARTS, V, GF
Sweet potato and kombu provide umami flavor to this all-purpose stock. If you want more of that savory taste, add some shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried). If the carrots and sweet potatoes are organic, you needn’t peel them.
5 unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed
3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
4 carrots, cut into large chunks
1 large unpeeled yellow onion, quartered
1 sweet potato, cut into large chunks
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
6 peppercorns
1 Turkish bay leaf or ⅓ of a California bay leaf
1 (8-inch) strip kombu
1 teaspoon sea salt
1. Toss everything except the salt into an 8-quart pot filled with 4½ quarts (18 cups) of water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high for a brisk simmer and cook for 30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Turn off the heat and let the vegetables steep until the pot is cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
2. Strain the stock over a large bowl and stir in the salt. Transfer to pint and quart containers to freeze for future use. It will keep for up to 6 months.