ISO: ISO a T&T recipe for vegetable stock. When I try to make my own it is hit-and-miss
- Thread starter joe
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Here it is - it was from Finer Cooking and posted here by Curious1 (thanks!).
Basic Vegetable Stock
Avoid onion skins and carrot tops as they'll make the stock bitter; trimming or peeling other vegetables is optional. Scrub or rinse all vegetables well, especially if they're not peeled.
1 1/2 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
2 cups large diced yellow onion
2 cups large diced outer ribs celery
1 cup large diced leek tops
1 cup large diced fennel tops or bulbs
3/4 cup large diced carrot
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
8 fresh parsley stems
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Heat the butter or oil over medium-low heat in a large stock pot. add the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until they have softened and released their juices, about 30 minutes (don't let them brown). Add enough cold water to the pot to just cover the vegetables, about 4 cups. bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook without stirring until the stock is flavorful, about 45 minutes (adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer). Strain the stock immediately through a fine sieve, pressing gently on the vegetables. Let cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to a week. or freeze for up to six months.
Customize your stock
The recipe above makes a nicely balanced vegetable stock that's good for almost any dish, but you can adjust it depending on the trimmings you have or the dish you're using it in. If you're making mushroom soup with marjoram it, you might add two cups mushrooms trimmings and a spring of marjoram to the stock recipe. Her are ideas for other additions. Depending on how dominant flavor you want, use 1-4 cups of these enhancement vegetables.
Subtle flavors
Use these vegetables or their trimmings with confidence
Celery root
corn cobs
eggplant
mushrooms
parsnips
tomatoes
summer squash
Swiss chard winter squash (seeds and stringy insides, too)
Assertive flavors
Use these vegetables or their trimmings judiciously and only when you want to emphasize the vegetable's flavor (for example, using asparagus-enhanced stock in an asparagus soup).
asparagus
beets and beet greens (will turn the stock pink)
broccoli
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
potato (may cloud the stock)
rutabaga
turnips
herbs Tender, leafy herbs such as basil, cilantro and tarragon add a decidedly fresh flavor to a stock. Add four to eight items to the basic recipe. Tarragon is strong, so use it sparingly. Woody herbs such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and sage are more potent and the stems can impart a bitter flavor if left in a stock, so just use a couple of springs and strain immediately.
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Basic Vegetable Stock
Avoid onion skins and carrot tops as they'll make the stock bitter; trimming or peeling other vegetables is optional. Scrub or rinse all vegetables well, especially if they're not peeled.
1 1/2 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
2 cups large diced yellow onion
2 cups large diced outer ribs celery
1 cup large diced leek tops
1 cup large diced fennel tops or bulbs
3/4 cup large diced carrot
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
8 fresh parsley stems
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Heat the butter or oil over medium-low heat in a large stock pot. add the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until they have softened and released their juices, about 30 minutes (don't let them brown). Add enough cold water to the pot to just cover the vegetables, about 4 cups. bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook without stirring until the stock is flavorful, about 45 minutes (adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer). Strain the stock immediately through a fine sieve, pressing gently on the vegetables. Let cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to a week. or freeze for up to six months.
Customize your stock
The recipe above makes a nicely balanced vegetable stock that's good for almost any dish, but you can adjust it depending on the trimmings you have or the dish you're using it in. If you're making mushroom soup with marjoram it, you might add two cups mushrooms trimmings and a spring of marjoram to the stock recipe. Her are ideas for other additions. Depending on how dominant flavor you want, use 1-4 cups of these enhancement vegetables.
Subtle flavors
Use these vegetables or their trimmings with confidence
Celery root
corn cobs
eggplant
mushrooms
parsnips
tomatoes
summer squash
Swiss chard winter squash (seeds and stringy insides, too)
Assertive flavors
Use these vegetables or their trimmings judiciously and only when you want to emphasize the vegetable's flavor (for example, using asparagus-enhanced stock in an asparagus soup).
asparagus
beets and beet greens (will turn the stock pink)
broccoli
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
potato (may cloud the stock)
rutabaga
turnips
herbs Tender, leafy herbs such as basil, cilantro and tarragon add a decidedly fresh flavor to a stock. Add four to eight items to the basic recipe. Tarragon is strong, so use it sparingly. Woody herbs such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and sage are more potent and the stems can impart a bitter flavor if left in a stock, so just use a couple of springs and strain immediately.
Rec: Cauliflower and Cheese Soup. One of the first recipes to appear on this forum, posted by Pat>
Thanks Pat, I had a lovely head of cauliflower to use and not a lot of time. I was thumbing throw my soup file and found this. We loved it. The subtle caraway flavor is nice. And a bonus, I was able to use some of my homemade veggie...
recipeswap.org
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Joe, I use the CI recipe Lisa mentioned. It is excellent. Here it is:
I copied this from pittsburghrules.com. I don't have CI's recipe at hand, but this looks like the real deal:
********************************
It would be a little bit disingenuous of me to not let you know that the recipe is a little more complicated than I let on in my explanation. And, it actually only produced 2 quarts of stock and I need 2 more for my brine recipe. And it was totally more expensive than store bought stock. However, it tasted Ah-mazing and it was worth every penny. Definitely, a bit of work, but totally appropriate for a super special food Holiday like Thanksgiving.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine:
It is important to use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot so that the vegetables caramelize properly without burning. A stalk of lemon grass, available in some grocery stores and most Asian markets, adds a clean, refreshing flavor to the stock. If you cannot find lemon grass, however, the flavor will still be very good.
Ingredients
•2 medium onions (about 12 ounces), peeled and chopped coarse
•10 – 12 cloves garlic, from 1 head, each clove peeled and smashed
•8 large shallots (about 8 ounces), sliced thin
•1 rib celery, chopped coarse
•Vegetable cooking spray
•1 small carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
•4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped coarse (about 5 1/2 cups)
•stems fresh parsley leaves (from 1 bunch)
•2 bay leaves
•1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
•1 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
•1 pound collard greens, washed, dried, and sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips (about 10 cups packed)
•1 small head cauliflower (about 12 ounces), chopped fine (about 4 cups)
•8 – 10 sprigs fresh thyme
•1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches and bruised with back of chef’s knife
•4 medium scallions, white and light green parts, cut into 2-inch lengths
•2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Instructions
1.Combine onions, garlic, shallots, celery, and carrot in heavy-bottomed, 8-quart stockpot or Dutch oven; spray vegetables lightly with vegetable cooking spray and toss to coat. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until pan bottom shows light brown glaze, 20 to 30 minutes. Add leeks and increase heat to medium; cook, covered, until leeks soften, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and cook, partially covered, until water has evaporated to a glaze and vegetables are very soft, 25 to 35 minutes.
2. Add parsley stems, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and 7 cups hot water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, covered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.
3. Add collard greens, cauliflower, thyme, lemon grass, and scallions. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer gently, covered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes longer. Strain stock through large strainer into 2-quart bowl or container, allowing stock to drip through to drain thoroughly (do not press on solids). Stir vinegar into stock. (Stock can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 2 months.)
Mod edit: site no longer exists: pittsburghrulescom/2012/11/18/ultimate-vegetable-stock/
I copied this from pittsburghrules.com. I don't have CI's recipe at hand, but this looks like the real deal:
********************************
It would be a little bit disingenuous of me to not let you know that the recipe is a little more complicated than I let on in my explanation. And, it actually only produced 2 quarts of stock and I need 2 more for my brine recipe. And it was totally more expensive than store bought stock. However, it tasted Ah-mazing and it was worth every penny. Definitely, a bit of work, but totally appropriate for a super special food Holiday like Thanksgiving.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine:
It is important to use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot so that the vegetables caramelize properly without burning. A stalk of lemon grass, available in some grocery stores and most Asian markets, adds a clean, refreshing flavor to the stock. If you cannot find lemon grass, however, the flavor will still be very good.
Ingredients
•2 medium onions (about 12 ounces), peeled and chopped coarse
•10 – 12 cloves garlic, from 1 head, each clove peeled and smashed
•8 large shallots (about 8 ounces), sliced thin
•1 rib celery, chopped coarse
•Vegetable cooking spray
•1 small carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
•4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped coarse (about 5 1/2 cups)
•stems fresh parsley leaves (from 1 bunch)
•2 bay leaves
•1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
•1 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
•1 pound collard greens, washed, dried, and sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips (about 10 cups packed)
•1 small head cauliflower (about 12 ounces), chopped fine (about 4 cups)
•8 – 10 sprigs fresh thyme
•1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches and bruised with back of chef’s knife
•4 medium scallions, white and light green parts, cut into 2-inch lengths
•2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Instructions
1.Combine onions, garlic, shallots, celery, and carrot in heavy-bottomed, 8-quart stockpot or Dutch oven; spray vegetables lightly with vegetable cooking spray and toss to coat. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until pan bottom shows light brown glaze, 20 to 30 minutes. Add leeks and increase heat to medium; cook, covered, until leeks soften, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and cook, partially covered, until water has evaporated to a glaze and vegetables are very soft, 25 to 35 minutes.
2. Add parsley stems, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and 7 cups hot water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, covered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.
3. Add collard greens, cauliflower, thyme, lemon grass, and scallions. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer gently, covered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes longer. Strain stock through large strainer into 2-quart bowl or container, allowing stock to drip through to drain thoroughly (do not press on solids). Stir vinegar into stock. (Stock can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 2 months.)
Mod edit: site no longer exists: pittsburghrulescom/2012/11/18/ultimate-vegetable-stock/
Last edited by a moderator:
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I remember reading CI's usual exhaustive dissertation on veggie stock...
...and how most of them, whether store-bought or homemade, tasted like one or two dominant vegetables at best, or dishwater at worst.
Even though this one is expensive, when you need good vegetable stock, you need good vegetable stock. I use it for vegetable soup and in any recipe where it might take center stage.
If you're feeding a vegan/vegetarian, they will love you to death once they taste this.
Michael
...and how most of them, whether store-bought or homemade, tasted like one or two dominant vegetables at best, or dishwater at worst.
Even though this one is expensive, when you need good vegetable stock, you need good vegetable stock. I use it for vegetable soup and in any recipe where it might take center stage.
If you're feeding a vegan/vegetarian, they will love you to death once they taste this.
Michael
Ok, here's one out of left field, Joe
I hesitated to post this but I have used it a lot and although it is unconventional, it is pretty good. I have both sauteed and roasted the veggies- doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. I use this for soup- keeping the veg and adding garbanzos, kidney beans and whatever else is around but as a veggie broth it works.
Simmer for 1 hour:
3 quarts water
2 bay leaves
2 heads garlic, peeled
pinch of sage
2 T each thyme, oregano, basil
1 T pepper
Uncover and toss the garlic and bay leaves away. Chop a combination of any of the following vegetables to measure 4 C: potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, corn, peas, cauliflower, celery, tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, spinach. Either saute or roast (with a little olive oil except for the spinach). Add to the broth and simmer 30-60 min. Strain and adjust seasonings.
I hesitated to post this but I have used it a lot and although it is unconventional, it is pretty good. I have both sauteed and roasted the veggies- doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. I use this for soup- keeping the veg and adding garbanzos, kidney beans and whatever else is around but as a veggie broth it works.
Simmer for 1 hour:
3 quarts water
2 bay leaves
2 heads garlic, peeled
pinch of sage
2 T each thyme, oregano, basil
1 T pepper
Uncover and toss the garlic and bay leaves away. Chop a combination of any of the following vegetables to measure 4 C: potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, corn, peas, cauliflower, celery, tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, spinach. Either saute or roast (with a little olive oil except for the spinach). Add to the broth and simmer 30-60 min. Strain and adjust seasonings.
Mark Bittman has an interesting recipe
http://content.markbittman.com/node/202
Mod Edit: Link no longer exists. Here is content from way back:
For this stock, you cut the vegetables into small pieces, which extracts greater flavor; you pan-cook them first, which browns them at least a bit and makes the flavor more complex; and you add a couple more flavorful ingredients (the mushrooms make a difference, as you’ll quickly see, as does the soy sauce). If you have more time for simmering, use it.
Double the quantities here if you want to make enough stock to freeze.
From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
One Hour Vegetable Stock
Makes: about 1 quart
Time: 1 hour, somewhat unattended
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, quartered (don’t bother to peel)
1 potato, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic (don’t bother to peel)
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole over medium-high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)
2. Add the parsley, 6 cups water, the soy sauce, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. (Longer is better if you have the time.)
3. Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy sauce or a bit of salt, before using or storing
http://content.markbittman.com/node/202
Mod Edit: Link no longer exists. Here is content from way back:
For this stock, you cut the vegetables into small pieces, which extracts greater flavor; you pan-cook them first, which browns them at least a bit and makes the flavor more complex; and you add a couple more flavorful ingredients (the mushrooms make a difference, as you’ll quickly see, as does the soy sauce). If you have more time for simmering, use it.
Double the quantities here if you want to make enough stock to freeze.
From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
One Hour Vegetable Stock
Makes: about 1 quart
Time: 1 hour, somewhat unattended
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, quartered (don’t bother to peel)
1 potato, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic (don’t bother to peel)
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole over medium-high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)
2. Add the parsley, 6 cups water, the soy sauce, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. (Longer is better if you have the time.)
3. Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy sauce or a bit of salt, before using or storing