Cooking basics – Vegetable stock

One of the basic stock, used as a base for sauces, soups and as a cooking ingredient. Instead of buying cubes, prepare your own, perfect stock.

 

For around 5l of stock you will need:

• 1kg white onions
• 1kg carrots – peeled
• 1 leek
• 1 celery stick
• 3 parsley stalks
• 3 garlic cloves
• 30g thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 6 allspice

 

Equipment needed

A hob, an oven, a baking tray, an 8 – 10l pot, a colander, a container for ready stock

 

Method

Start with heating up the oven to 180°C.

Meantime roughly cut onions, carrots, leek and celery into 3-4 cm pieces. Place them all on a baking tray and put in the hot oven. Roast until they will get dark brown colour. This method speeds up water evaporation and intensifies the flavour of vegetables.

When ready, put all of them in a pot and cover with COLD water. By using cold water vegetables will have time to give away slowly all the taste, making rich, delicious stock. Next, add parsley, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and allspice. Bring to the boil on high heat, turn down and simmer on low fire for another 20- 30 minutes.

Once the stock is ready, pass it into the container through the colander and set on a side to cool down.

Cold stock you can store in the fridge for up to 3 days or divide into smaller portions, freeze down and keep for another month, using whenever you need.

Well done! You made it! Fast and easy – vegetable stock

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