French Vegetable Stock

Yield: ½ gallon  ·  Ratio: 4 lbs vegetables per gallon of water

Ingredients

• 8 oz yellow onion, peeled, coarse chop
• 8 oz leek tops, coarse chop
• 8 oz carrot, coarse chop
• 8 oz celery, coarse chop
• 4 cloves garlic, split
• 6–8 parsley stems, whole
• 1 sprig thyme, whole
• ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1–2 bay leaves
• ½ gallon filtered water

Directions

1. Wash and coarsely chop all vegetables.
2. Add the onion, leek tops, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley stems, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a large pot. Cover with ½ gallon cold water.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Keeps up to 3 days refrigerated, up to 3 months frozen.

Optional Additions

Fennel fronds, mushroom stems, scallion roots or tops, inner celery leaves, onion and garlic skins, chile peppers, tomatoes, ginger, corn cobs, dried kelp or kombu, fresh herbs (cilantro, oregano, dill).

Vegetables to Avoid

Strong or bitter flavor: broccoli, cauliflower, rutabaga, zucchini, bitter greens.
Makes the stock cloudy: potatoes, pumpkins, turnips.

Ingredients

• 8 oz yellow onion, peeled, coarse chop
• 4–6 scallions, rough chop
• 8 oz carrot, coarse chop
• 8 oz celery or cabbage, coarse chop
• 6 stems cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic, split
• ½ oz shiitake mushroom stems
• 4 slices ginger
• Kombu or dried kelp (optional)
• ½ gallon filtered water

Same method as above.