110 minutes
Craft a rich and aromatic foundation for your soups and stews with this Hearty Homemade Vegetable Broth. Delight in the layered flavors from caramelized onions, fragrant herbs, and a bouquet of garden vegetables including crisp carrots, celery, and a hint of umami from a ripe plum tomato. The subtle nuttiness of cauliflower and a blend of thyme and bay leaves round out this versatile stock.
Large Onions, chopped
each
Celery Stalks, chopped
each
Large Carrots, peeled and chopped
each
Scallions, chopped
each
Garlic Clove, peeled and smashed
each
teaspoons
teaspoons
cups
Cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets
0 lb
Ripe Plum Tomato, chopped
each
sprigs
each
Whole Black Peppercorns
teaspoons
1. Mirepoix Magic
In a sizable stockpot or Dutch oven, combine onions, celery, carrots, scallions, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Cover and sweat these ingredients over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until they develop a rich, golden brown fond on the bottom of the pot; this should take around 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Simmering Symphony
Pour in the water. Add the cauliflower, tomato, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the pot. Raise the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot, adjust the heat to maintain a soft simmer, and allow the broth to develop its full flavor profile, about 1½ hours.
3. Strain and Store
Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer, taking care not to press the solids as this can make the broth cloudy. Discard the solids.
For a more robust flavor, consider roasting your vegetables in the oven before adding them to the pot. This caramelizes the natural sugars in the vegetables and adds a depth of flavor that simply sweating them won't provide.
Since the broth is all about the vegetables, use the freshest veggies you can find. Organic produce may have more nuanced flavors that can make your broth even better.
For a non-traditional but umami-packed broth, consider adding dried mushrooms, a piece of kombu (seaweed), or a dollop of miso paste. These will give a savory depth to your broth.
A gentle and slow simmer allows the flavors to infuse into the water. If you boil it too vigorously, some of the subtler flavors might be lost.
Keep an eye on the water-to-vegetable ratio. You want the water to just cover the vegetables. Too much water will dilute the flavors of your broth.
Comments (0)