vegetable broth... simply put

typical stock veggies

I forgot to post my vegetable broth recipe for the Farro Soup I just posted... so here it is in a nut shell :
equal amounts (give or take a little)  in grams or ounces of leek (mainly white part) and carrot
½ the amount of celery (along with a couple leaves) and red onion (no more than quartered)
a garlic clove or two, if desired, peeled and left whole
a couple three fresh parsley and thyme sprigs
1 or 2 fresh bay leaves, small handful of peppercorns and unrefined coarse sea salt
and any other peels and parings sitting on your kitchen counter…


for about 2 liters :
200 gr carrots,
200 gr leeks (remove most of the tops, using only the tender inner green part)
100 gr celery (along with just a couple leaves)
100 gr red onion (cut into quarters)
1 large garlic clove, peeled, cut in half, the sprout removed
1 – 2 fresh bay leaves
3 full sprigs fresh parsley
2 full sprigs fresh thyme
1 tBsp coarse unrefined sea salt
1/4 tsp peppercorns
Add any peels, stems, outer leaves, squash seeds, etc. (except for anything too bitter) you think might enhance the broth, rather than throwing them away.

Cut the carrot into very thin crosswise slices, the leek a bit less thin, and the celery into quite large pieces. Drop into a large pan along with the quartered red onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and peppercorns. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring the covered pot to a boil. Add the sea salt and cook uncovered, just below a simmer, for 30 - 45 minutes, until the carrots are very soft.
Strain immediately, pressing the vegetables against the side of the strainer to recuperate all the liquid. Strain again through a fine-sieve strainer, if desired, to remove any floating particles.

Note : Cooking at a higher heat or for over 1 hour will give your broth a bitter taste.

On an un-wasteful note : You can pass the cooked stock vegetables through a foodmill, add a bit of water or leftover broth, unrefined sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and heat in a saucepan. Served with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and maybe a few shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano — it makes for a great quick soup.