Taking the bother out of broth: easy steps for making vegetable-based broths you can put stock in - Getting Started - includes recipes and related articles on deglazing and caramelizing

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 1997 by Betty Passow

Making a flavorful stock at home is a daunting task to begin with--but if you're tied to the idea that meat alone conveys rich taste to water, preparing a vegetables-only broth will seem even less inviting. In actuality, vegetarian stocks are simpler and quicker to make than those prepared with meat, taste just as hearty and satisfying, and, depending on the ingredients used, can be more economical.

Most vegetarians have canned stocks in their cupboards or instant dried versions that are reconstituted with the addition of hot water. Both types come in handy when a recipe calls for just a small amount of stock. But when you're making a soup in which stock is the main ingredient, a canned or instant variety may compromise flavor. It's always best to make your own in this case and let freshness triumph over convenience.

STOCK THEORIES

Even the most mundane ingredients can lend pizzazz to the stock pot: Onions and carrots are included in most recipes, as are leeks and celery. Homemade stocks are an excellent way to use up leftover legumes and vegetables, such as summer squash, provided they are still fresh and their flavors balance nicely with those of other ingredients. Potatoes and lentils, though hardly classic stock pot items--produce a wonderful, earthy taste and have a place in heartier broths.

Once you've sampled their potent flavors, stock-making will become a healthy habit you won't want to break, and you'll likely find yourself freezing leftover bits and pieces of vegetables and trimmings to help fuel your newfound addiction. When evaluating which vegetables to use in stocks, consider how strong or prominent their taste is and adjust quantities accordingly. Broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes and Brussels sprouts are best left out, but you can use cabbage if you choose a milder form and use less of it than the other ingredients.

CREATING FLAVOR

Vegetables produce stocks that are lighter and sweeter than those made with meat, but the recipes provided here contain meaty-tasting nutritional yeast and achieve many of the qualities of chicken- and beef-based broths that new vegetarians may miss. You can intensify the flavor of any vegetable stock by reducing the amount of liquid in it. You can boost the flavor of a mock "chicken" stock by adding small amounts of powdered onion, garlic and celery seed.

Sweetness, while often a desirable quality in soup, can be tamed when needed by the addition of judicious amounts of lemon juice, lime juice, fresh tomatoes, a little wine or parsley.

CHOPPING, SAUTEING AND SIMMERING

Start with a 4-cup measure, a large skillet, a 4-quart pot with a heavy bottom (a Dutch oven is ideal), and a fine sieve or strainer set in a deep bowl (for straining the finished broth). Have your favorite knives on hand for slicing the vegetables and some cheesecloth for making the bouquet garni. Next, wash all your vegetables, peel them if you choose and slice them as directed in the recipe. To help the liquid incorporate the flavors of the vegetables, cut all vegetables into medium dice or small slices.

If time allows, saute the raw vegetables before simmering them in water; sauteing produces a superior flavor, adds body to the stock and fills your kitchen with a heavenly aroma.

To saute, choose the largest skillet you have. Heat it over high heat until hot, then reduce the temperature to medium-high. Add the oil, then a layer of vegetables no more than 1/2-inch deep, toss them to coat and continue to toss as they cook. Take care not to crowd the pan--or you will lower the temperature, steam the vegetables instead of sauteing them and achieve a less flavorful result. To make the recipes here, saute in two batches. Transfer the vegetables to the pot as they are finished, deglaze the pan and pour in the specified amount of water, less the quantity used for deglazing--it should cover the vegetables by no more than an inch.

Once the stock has come to a boil, lower the heat and adjust to maintain a simmer--a very slow bubble on the surface of the stock (185 to 200 degrees)--for the specified time. Do not bring the stock to a boil again as this will cause impurities in the ingredients to cloud the liquid, create an off-taste and necessitate the addition of liquid and a longer cooking time. If the liquid drops too far below the surface of the vegetables, add a little more and continue cooking until done, approximately 30 to 45 minutes. To make sure that the vegetables' flavors have been fully extracted, taste a carrot--it should be very soft and bland. Then, turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool slightly before straining.

STRAINING AND THICKENING

To strain, carefully pour the contents of the stock pot into a sieve set over a deep bowl. Press on the vegetables with a large spoon to extract as much liquid as possible and either save them for pureeing or discard them. If there is sediment (likely with potatoes and lentils), you may wish to strain the stock again. Line a sieve with several layers of cheesecloth and restrain the stock into another bowl.