Healthy Vegetable Soup for StockCooking

Posted 2016-05-26 by finy ⇒ follow

I often do cooking that requires stock added to it. I do not like using bought ingredients when I can make them myself and they are then far, far healthier.

No more "Campbells" for me, as mine is also far nicer with no added salt or preservatives.

It turned out to be only about 3½ cups of the finished broth, so next time I think I would double the recipe and freeze some.

In this instance, I will be using this base to make a broccoli and blue cheese soup.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 70 minutes
Makes: About 6 cups

Ingredients
2 sticks celery
1 - 2 leeks, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 large potato, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
Parsley
2/3 cup dry white wine
4 1/4 cups water
2 bay leaves (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the shallots, leeks, celery and potato.

Cook over a low heat, stirring often, for about 8 minutes or until the leeks etc are beginning to soften and colour.

Add the carrots, parsnip, turnip, and bay leaves (optional).

Add the parsley and white wine.

Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until the wine has evaporated.

Turn the heat to medium and pour in the water. Bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat again, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Pour the mixture through a sieve, straining the vegetable stock, and pressing the vegetables slightly to get out as much liquid as possible. Do not let the vegetables seep through the sieve as this is a clear broth for cooking.