VEGETABLE STOCK

MAKES ABOUT 4 QUARTS

Every good soup starts with a great stock. A couple of keys to making one: First, taste the stock periodically as you make it, and only add additional salt and seasonings toward the end, because as the stock reduces in volume the flavors will concentrate. Second, we like to add potatoes to our vegetable stocks. The starches add body and give the stock a more satisfying consistency.

1½ gallons cold water

3 large carrots, scrubbed and rough chopped

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

1 leek, cleaned and rough chopped

4 stalks celery, rough chopped

1 large sweet potato (skin-on), scrubbed, cut in half

1 russet potato (skin-on), scrubbed, cut in half

1 fennel bulb, cleaned and rough chopped

¼ cup garlic cloves (8 to 12 cloves), peeled and crushed with the flat side of your knife

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 bunch parsley, rinsed

1 small bunch fresh thyme, rinsed

2 to 3 tablespoons sea salt

Put everything but the salt in a large stock pot. Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat, then cut the heat to low and simmer gently for a couple of hours. The more you simmer the stock, the more it will reduce in volume, and the more intense the flavors will become. Shoot to reduce the liquid by about one-half. A good visual is to simmer until the volume of stock is about 3 inches below the level it started at. When reduced and flavorful, add salt until it tastes well-seasoned to you.

Cool in the pot, then strain the stock into containers. Seal and refrigerate for about a week, or freeze for a couple of months.

OPTIONS

SPICY TOMATO VEGETABLE STOCK: Add a couple of Thai chiles and some chopped fresh tomato or a roasted tomato.

ROASTED VEGETABLE STOCK: Roast or grill all the vegetables or even just the onions and celery ahead of time. Get them slightly charred for a more robust flavor.

DARK VEGETABLE STOCK: Rub the carrots, onions, and celery with tomato paste and roast at 350ºF for 1 hour before adding to the stock.

MUSHROOM STOCK: Skip the sweet potato and fennel. Instead, add 1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms and 5 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (or use a mix of different fresh and dried ’shrooms). For more flavor, roast the fresh mushrooms first. For even more savory flavor, add ½ ounce dried seaweed such as kombu.