Roasted Vegetable Stock
makes 2 quarts of stock
Roasting vegetables creates a rich stock that makes a good vegetarian substitute for beef or veal stock. A thumb of ginger adds a spicy note to the broth. For even more spice, add a chile pepper to the pot.
1/2 pound carrots, sliced
1/2 pound celery, diced
1 pound onions, diced
1 thumb ginger, sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 bay leaves
1/2 bunch parsley
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
prep: 5 minutes
total: 3 hours
baking sheet
Dutch oven or stock pot
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. On a baking sheet, toss all the sliced and diced vegetables with the olive oil and tuck the bay leaves in amongst the vegetables. Roast for 1 hour, until the vegetables are very soft and covered with blackened/caramelized spots.
2. In a large Dutch oven, place all the roasted vegetables, the peppercorns and the parsley and add cold water to cover, approximately 3 quarts. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Taste the stock at this point to make sure it has a full flavor; if not, add a small amount of salt and taste again. Continue to simmer the stock until it tastes rich and full-flavored.
3. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables.
