Mediterranean vegetable stock
5 cups
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bay leaves | |
| 4 | Sprigs thyme or | |
| 1 | teaspoon | Dried thyme |
| 20 | Black peppercorns | |
| 1 | medium | Onion, peeled coarsely chopped |
| 1 | Leek, trimmed, washed coarsely chopped | |
| 6 | Garlic clove(s) peeled and halved | |
| 2 | Stalks celery coarsely chopped | |
| 2 | Carrots, coarsely chopped | |
| 1 | Red bell pepper, cored seeded, coarsely chopped | |
| ½ | small | (or 1/4 large) fennel bulb coarsely chopped or |
| 1 | teaspoon | Fennel seeds |
| 2 | Tomatoes coarsely chopped | |
| ½ | cup | Basil leaves and stems |
| ½ | cup | Flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems |
| 2 | Strips orange zest | |
| 1 | cup | Dry white vermouth |
| ½ | cup | Orange juice |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Saffron soaked in |
| 1 | tablespoon | Hot water |
| 8 | cups | Water (approx) |
| Sea salt (opt) | ||
Directions
1. Tie the bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth or wrap them in a piece of foil and pierce all over with a fork.
2. Combine the onion, leek, garlic, celery, carrots, bell pepper, fennel, tomatoes, basil, parsley, zest, vermouth, juice, saffron, and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are very tender, adding water as necessary to keep the vegetables covered.
3. Strain the stock, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible from the vegetables. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerated stock will keep 3-4 days; frozen, it will keep for 6 months. For a thicker, richer stock, remove the bouquet garni and orange peel and pur‚e the liquid and vegetables, then strain.
Note: Use the stock for dishes of Spanish, Italian, Provencal, and North African origin. Or to make a wonderful Mediterranean Vegetable Soup, discard the bouquet garni and pur‚e the stock and vegetables in a blender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Makes 8 cups soup.
High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking by Steven Raichlen pg 249 Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 10-27-95