Vegetable Stock
Ingredients
1 large onion, skin removed2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 large carrot, peeled
1 large parsnip, peeled
1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
4 cups boiling water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. freshly minced garlic
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh parsley
2 fresh bay leaves
½ tsp. fleur de sel
4 cups cold water
Preparation
• Chop the onion, celery, carrot and parsnip into uniform ¼- to ½-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Place the mushrooms in a large bowl and cover them with the boiling water. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and saute them, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are very brown. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the mushrooms and their soaking water along with the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, fleur de sel and cold water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the rest.
This broth will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
