I love to make vegetable stock. It is easy (much faster than chicken stock), great to have on hand, and has a wonderful aroma that fills the whole apartment. As soon as it is ready I pour myself a cup and drink it like tea. Healthy, sweet, delicious, light, it makes me feel so good.
You can use vegetable stock for soups, rice, and braising vegetables. It lasts for 5 days in the refrigerator or it can be frozen for several months. If freezing, freeze in plastic with at least 2 inches of head space to allow for expansion.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of dried chickpeas
- 2 ribs of celery cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 carrots washed (but not peeled if organic) cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 small to medium turnips, washed (but not peeled if organic) cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 or 2 parsnips, small to medium, cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cups or more green part of the leeks, cut into ½ inch pieces
- Half a bunch of parsley stems
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Place chickpeas on a white plate and go over for stones and dirt. Wash chickpeas by submerging and lifting in a bowl of cold water, then drain. Soak the chickpeas in water to cover by 7 inches overnight (8 hours).
- Drain then add to stockpot. I like to use one that has a 6-quart capacity. Stainless steel or enamel.
- Wash, cut, and then add all the vegetables and the bay leaves to the stockpot.
- Cover with cold water by 3 inches.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat to medium and cook at a fast simmer for 1 hour, no cover.
- Turn off the heat, and allow to steep for 1 hour. Strain, cool and refrigerate.
- I like to make secondary stock by placing the drained vegetables in a clean stockpot and adding 1 quart of water and simmering for 20 minutes, then drain. Refrigerated, vegetables stock will last 5 days or it can be frozen for 6 months.
- N.B. the cutting of the vegetables does not have to be precise.
