Vegetable Stock

I do like a song that starts gradually. One instrument will begin alone, it’s part complete on it’s own but also containing gaps that the other instruments fill one by one to create the whole song.

In cooking, a good stock is like that first instrument. It will have enough complexity and depth to enjoy alone but you know that there is also room to add more ingredients and create a new fuller dish.

This is my go to vegetable stock recipe that I vary depending on what veg I have around.

Roughly chop an Onion and start to fry in coconut oil at a medium heat.

Split a head of Garlic in two then cut one half through the middle and add to the saucepan.
Saute for ten minutes or so at a medium heat so that the vegetables soften and brown but not burn.

Roughly chop two sticks of Celery and a small potato and add to the pan along with a couple of Cherry tomatoes and a teaspoon of salt. Continue cooking for another ten minutes.

Roughly chop up four mushrooms, stir them in and follow with a litre and a quarter of water.

Bring the heat up to a boil then turn it down to a gentle simmer and leave there slowly cooking for a couple of hours.

You should end up with a lovely savoury liquid that you just cannot resist repeatedly tasting.

Lastly strain the stock through a seive to remove all of the veg (which gets composted), into a storage jar. It’ll keep up to a week in the fridge and also freezes well for later.