Recipe: Basic Vegetable Stock

the appetizer:

Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta by Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider, includes recipes from the spa, like Squash-Apple Soup with Thai Red Curry; Roasted Garlic en Cazuela; and Lobster a la Diabla.

Cookbook

Basic Vegetable Stock

Makes 1 gallon

A flavorful vegetable stock subtly adds flavor to anything you make. Use herb stems, tomato trimmings, and vegetable stems and leaves in the stock. Celery root, kohlrabi, bell peppers, half a jalapeño, and any kind of fresh or dried mushrooms all work well. Don't use starchy vegetables, like potatoes, which cloud the stock, and strong-flavored herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano, or tarragon should be avoided. For more nutritional value, save vegetable cooking water uncovered for several days (refrigerated) instead of discarding it, and use it as part or all of the liquid.

2 whole leeks
1 onion
2 stalks celery
4 carrots
1/2 turnip
1 bunch kale or collard greens
1 whole head garlic, cut in half around the middle
4 tomatoes, quartered, or 8 tomato cores
1/2 bunch parsley, washed
10 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
6 large dried shiitakes
1 gallon plus 1 quart water or reserved vegetable cooking water

Wash and peel all the vegetables and cut roughly into 1-inch pieces. Place in a 3-gallon stockpot, add the water, and slowly bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are very soft. Strain and into a clean stockpot or bowl discard the vegetables.

Note: Freeze stock in small containers and ice cube trays, or freeze flat in heavy-duty plastic freezer bags. Use pint or quart size, depending on your needs. They take up very little space and you always have a measured quantity of stock ready for soups and sauces.

from:
Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta
Recipes from the World-Famous Spa
by Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider
Stewart, Tabori & Chang 2008
224 pages / $35.00 U.S. - $39.00 Canada
ISBN-10: 1584797096
ISBN-13: 978-1-58479-709-8
Recipe reprinted by permission.

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