Assertive Vegetable Broth

M

marilynfl

Moderator
From Anna Thomas' "The New Vegetarian Epicure"

I actually owned both of Anna Thomas' original Vegetarian Epicure cookbooks back in the 80's and recently donated them to the library bookstore. Which is where I found her UPDATED version. Got rid of two book, bought one...so I'm still ahead.

Anyway...just the fact that the broth had an adjective charmed me. I mean really...who sits down and says "you know...this broth is really assertive!"
Well, apparently Anna Thomas does.

So first off the name pulled me in. Then the fact that it used a rutagaba and I happen to possess my first ever rutagaba seemed prophetic. Then I realized I had all the ingredients other than the leeks and fennel. This put it in the realm of affordability, unlike the obscenely expensive Cook's Illustrated version I documented:

CI's insanely expensive Ultimate Vegetable Stock

I've been going through old CI's to get rid of them and saw this recipe. Decided to make it and was reading through the exhaustive list of ingredients when I happened to glance over at how much it makes as I was guessing a gallon. Because, let's face it...if you're making a basic ingredient...
recipeswap.org recipeswap.org

Then I noticed you only use the UPPER GREEN part of the leek...you know, that proportionally large portion of expensive leeks that you are always throw away because recipe instructions say "use only the white and pale green portion of the leek." In fact, EVERY recipe where I've used leeks threw away the upper dark green part. Yet THIS recipe uses that...which saves the onion portion for other recipes. The same with the fennel: the broth only uses the long stems, not the bulb. I was loving this recipe even before I made it.

Then I made it.

Well, half a recipe, because I was still gun-shy (or taste-bud shy) of terrible vegetable broths (always purchased) that ruined dishes. I had to buy the fennel ($2.99) and the leeks ($4.99), but since I didn't actually USE their primary food portion, I'm not considering them a major expense for this broth. Please note: my ingredients aren't always half of Anna's, but I loved this end result, so this is what I'll use from now on.

1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
2.5 carrots
2 small inner celery stalks
1 TBL oil
2 tsp Diamond kosher salt (taste at end to adjust for more)
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
6 cups of water
4" from dark green top of 1 leek
thick peel of 1 russet
1/2 of a peeled/diced 4" rutabaga, diced
1/2 C fennel stems
2 plum (roma) tomatoes, canned (remove seeds and membranes)
3 sprigs parsley
6 branches cilantro
3 TBL brown lentils
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp black peppercorn

Makes 1 quart

(I didn't notice the parsnips in the ingredient list, but they are only available locally around Thanksgiving).

Simmered mine longer than recipe because I was using the rutabaga and carrot coins as benchmarks for doneness.
I only strained the broth once and then picked out all the carrots and rutabaga and saved those. Sauteed some this morning in butter and added them to my refried bean/cojita burrito. So good!

This broth is good enough to enjoy by itself. Not that I'm going to martyr myself, but I could.

I think this is the kind of broth you make in the summer when you've been given a CSA box and have leftover odds and ends.

PS: I have NO clue why she adds the lentils. Brown lentils don't break down,


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Lentils add a sort of earthy flavor so maybe that is why she added them but cooked long enough they could break down and sort of thicken the broth if you wanted a little thicker texture.
 
Oh this sounds very good. The closet to decent store bought veggie broth I’ve tried was Trader Joe’s, but it was years ago. So might not be the same.
 
Looks interesting! I have everything except the leeks. Not going out into the tundra for those. Guess I'll wait to make it.
Speaking of broths and stocks, I just saw the recipe below over the weekend. People used it as a base for pasta fagioli, which I love. Snow automatically means make soups and stocks!
cooking.nytimes.com

Prosciutto-Parmesan Stock Recipe

Here’s the problem with homemade stock: It’s so good that it doesn’t last long What’s needed is something you can produce more or less on the spot Although water is a suitable proxy in small quantities, when it comes to making the bubbling, chest-warming soups that we rely on in winter, water...
cooking.nytimes.com cooking.nytimes.com
 
monj, please post you pasta fajioli recipe. It's one of the few horrors of my childhood food memories.

As I've written several time, there were many kids in my family and my father got paid every two weeks. Mom made great spaghetti & meatball sauce from scratch which we had often. But funds for that last meal of that pay period was always a bit...less. And so our neighbor taught Mom pasta fajioli. Mrs. P was married to an Italian, but she was Irish and I'm guessing this was her interpretation of the dish.

I absolutely hated it.

To start off with, Mom, even though she could make great meals, could NOT saute onions. In fairness, there were kids running around, a house to clean, meals to prepare, dishes to wash, clothes to sort. Hence, sauteeing onions was not high on her list of accomplishments. She somehow managed to burn them Every Single Time.

And the pasta fajioll?

It consisted of her burnt onions, a can of tomato paste, a can of water to rinse out the paste can, and elbow macaroni. (Elbow macaroni! That was the sacred ingredient ONLY to be used for Mac N' Cheese!)

That's it.

It was bitter and so unlike her wonderful meatballs and spaghetti that I actually cried once when I saw that was our dinner meal. I'm ashamed now for putting my parents through that kind of childish pettiness.

But I STILL hate the idea of that dish.

So perhaps you can help me put that bad taste memory in the garbage disposal. I'll gladly give it one more try.
Unless, of course, your recipe is a can of tomato paste, an onion and elbow maracroni.
 
marilynfl said:
monj, please post you pasta fajioli recipe. It's one of the few horrors of my childhood food memories.

As I've written several time, there were many kids in my family and my father got paid every two weeks. Mom made great spaghetti & meatball sauce from scratch which we had often. But funds for that last meal of that pay period was always a bit...less. And so our neighbor taught Mom pasta fajioli. Mrs. P was married to an Italian, but she was Irish and I'm guessing this was her interpretation of the dish.

I absolutely hated it.

To start off with, Mom, even though she could make great meals, could NOT saute onions. In fairness, there were kids running around, a house to clean, meals to prepare, dishes to wash, clothes to sort. Hence, sauteeing onions was not high on her list of accomplishments. She somehow managed to burn them Every Single Time.

And the pasta fajioll?

It consisted of her burnt onions, a can of tomato paste, a can of water to rinse out the paste can, and elbow macaroni. (Elbow macaroni! That was the sacred ingredient ONLY to be used for Mac N' Cheese!)

That's it.

It was bitter and so unlike her wonderful meatballs and spaghetti that I actually cried once when I saw that was our dinner meal. I'm ashamed now for putting my parents through that kind of childish pettiness.

But I STILL hate the idea of that dish.

So perhaps you can help me put that bad taste memory in the garbage disposal. I'll gladly give it one more try.
Unless, of course, your recipe is a can of tomato paste, an onion and elbow maracroni.
Click to expand...
Awww, making ends meet, tough times. Mrs. P. didn't do you guys any favors! I will make a separate post with the recipes and notes so it doesn't get lost in this thread. 🤗
 
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