There are plenty of vegetable stock recipes out there. This is one I've come up with that has worked so far for me. There is no salt or pepper in my version, and as usual for my recipes, this uses fresh (not canned!) ingredients.
Ingredients:- 1 lb carrots, cut into 1 cm or 1/2 inch slices
- 8 oz (1/2 lb) celery ribs, cut into 1 inch wide slices
- 1/2 lb red bell pepper (about 1 medium sized red pepper), cut into large pieces, including the seeds
- 1-1/2 lbs roma tomatoes, cut into medium pieces
- 5 average sized (about 3 oz) "baby bella" mushrooms, or the equivalent weight in portobella
- 4 large garlic cloves, scored with a serrated knife but not chopped or minced
- 1 leek bulb, rinsed and quartered
- olive oil
- 3 - 4 bay leaves
- 1 bunch parsley, including the stems
- 12 cups of water
In aluminum roaster pans, add in the carrots, celery, red bell pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and leek. Spray liberally with olive oil and toss well to coat, making sure to assemble the contents of each pan into a single layer before putting them into the oven.
Place the trays into a 400 degree F oven and cook for about 30-35 minutes, stirring with a thick spatula or wooden spoon halfway through. Be sure to keep everything in single layers. I strongly recommend putting flat baking sheets underneath the trays to enable safer removal from the oven when done. You want the vegetables to be cooked thoroughly, but be careful not to burn them, particularly the mushrooms.
Remove the vegetable trays from the oven. Scoop the contents (including the juices) into a large stockpot or Dutch oven, making sure to scrape down to get the seeds as well. Add 12 cups of water and stir thoroughly. Add in the bay leaves and parsley, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a little above the low setting, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Once everything possible has been cooked out of the vegetables, pour the contents of the stockpot through a strainer and let the stock cool. I separate mine into 4 oz containers and freeze. It should keep frozen for a few months.
Yield: 8-10 cups of completed vegetable stock
Homemade vegetable stock
Materials
- 1 lb carrots, cut into 1 cm or 1/2 inch slices
- 8 oz celery ribs, cut into 1 inch wide slices
- 1/2 lb red bell pepper (about 1 medium sized pepper), cut into large pieces, including the seeds
- 1 1/2 lbs roma tomatoes, cut into medium pieces
- 3 oz "baby bella" mushrooms (about 5 average sized)
- 4 large garlic cloves, scored with a serrated knife but not chopped or minced
- 1 leek bulb, rinsed and quartered
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 bunch parsley, including the stems
- 12 cups water
- olive oil to coat
Instructions
- In aluminum roaster pans, add in the carrots, celery, red bell pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and leek. Spray liberally with olive oil and toss well to coat, making sure to assemble the contents of each pan into a single layer before putting them into the oven.
- Place the trays into a 400 degree F oven and cook for about 30-35 minutes, stirring with a thick spatula or wooden spoon halfway through. Be sure to keep everything in single layers. I strongly recommend putting flat baking sheets underneath the trays to enable safer removal from the oven when done. You want the vegetables to be cooked thoroughly, but be careful not to burn them, particularly the mushrooms.
- Remove the vegetable trays from the oven. Scoop the contents (including the juices) into a large stockpot or Dutch oven, making sure to scrape down to get the seeds as well. Add 12 cups of water and stir thoroughly. Add in the bay leaves and parsley, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a little above the low setting, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once everything possible has been cooked out of the vegetables, pour the contents of the stockpot through a strainer and let the stock cool. Separate into containers and freeze for up to a few months.