The Light Vegetable Broth - basically boiled vegetables

One of the things that makes cooking so much easier nowadays is having access to the wonderful diversity of bounty that we enjoy. 


Having broth on hand adds so much more flavour to a recipe, than just reconstituting some bullion powder, or cube. Generally I try to keep four kinds of broth on hand, with the freezer being a valuable tool. 


I make two kinds of vegetable broth, a light one that has minimal intensity of flavour where I do not want to mask the other ingredients, and a dark vegetable broth, that supports stronger flavoured ingredients.


First off, start keeping your peelings and other things that can go into a broth. I use freezer bags that I date when I start that bag. Keep the stronger flavours in a separate bag such as cabbage like plants. I also separate the vegetable and non-vegetable things.


The Light Vegetable Broth - basically boiled vegetables.
3 - 4 cups of carrots
2 - 3 cups of celery
4 cups of vegetable peelings
4 cups of onions
2 tsp of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
20 cups of water


The vegetables: washed, (not peeled,) and cut up / sliced to expose as much surface as possible without cutting them to mush. Take the paper skin part off of the onions and just cut then into say one inch chunks.


With everything in a stockpot, bring this to almost a boil (do not boil broths/stocks if at all possible) and simmer for one hour - longer if you want - but generally everything is cooked out by then.


Gently strain the broth into another pot (not down the sink) allowing as much of the moisture, still in the vegetables to drain out.


After it is cooled, I portion the broth into four cup portions.  Store in the freezer. A general rule of thumb that I follow is to use up the broth within three months.


Dark Vegetable stock in my next post.