How to Make Vegetable Stock

Vegetable stock is a flavorful base liquid used for cooking fish, grains and pasta, as well as being a base for vegetarian soups and sauces. Avoid veggies with strong flavors like cabbage and its sulfrous relatives, Brussels sprouts, kale and cauliflower. Basically things that make you fart. You can include whatever veggies and herbs you like: carrots, onions and leeks contribute sweetness, celery, saltiness and mushrooms add savoriness. Tomatoes are sweet, tart and savory. Wine and vinegar add tartness along with other layers of aroma unique to the type.

Step 1

Rinse your vegetables under cool, running water. Cut them into small pieces and include the peelings.

Step 2

Saute the veggies briefly in butter or oil before adding the water.

Step 3

Add cold water to the pot, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Aim for about two parts water to one part vegetable, measuring by weight. One cup of water is a little more than a ½ lb.

Step 4

Add any wine or vinegar after you’ve been simmering the veggies for about 10 minutes. If you add it too early, it will interfere with vegetable softening and flavor extraction.

Step 5

Simmer the stock gently, careful not to boil, for another 30 to 40 minutes. If you simmer it too long, it will develop an unpleasant aroma.

Step 6

Strain the stock through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, careful not to press on the veggies, which causes cloudiness.

Step 7

Cool the stock quickly by placing the pot in ice, or pour it into smaller containers to speed the cooling process. Store in the refrigerator, or the freezer for longer-term storage.