Vegetable Broth

I use have a vegetable stock and a mushroom stock on the blog and honestly I use the terms stock and broth interchangeably, but now I am going to clarify what they mean to me.  To me a stock is heartier and it has particulate in it, but a broth to me should be clear.  I am uncertain as to the actual definitions of the two words and I do use them interchangeable in recipes with out much of an issue. 

For this recipe I also took a tip from a reader and used the peelings, and scraps from vegetables of the not to distant past.  I collect the peeling and scraps from vegetables and freeze them; using them when I have enough to make an impression on a stock or broth.  I put these scraps and peelings in a stockpot, along with an assortment of other vegetables and herbs,  and cook the broth/stock all day long.  Believe me when I say that the kitchen smells like a dream towards the tail end of the cooking time.  To make this what I consider a broth, I then strain the stock until the desired level of translucence is achieved.  The ingredients on a stock/broth can vary wildly from time to time.  Use what you have on hand.  Use what has been in the fridge a little too long.  Use that half a onion that has dried out.  Basically, don't let anything go to waste.

Various peelings and scraps

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

a couple of sprigs each of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

3 stalks of celery, cut into large chunks

1 head of garlic, broken up,but unpeeled

1 large onion, quartered and unpeeled

3 potatoes, cut into chunks and unpeeled

water to cover

Drop everything into the stock pot and cover with water.

Cook on low for 10 hours. 

 Place a colander into a medium size bowl and strain the broth through the colander

Using the back of a spoon press down on the cooked vegetables to extract more broth

Run the broth through a mesh strainer. 

Cover the mesh strainer with cheesecloth and strain the broth again, and until you achieve the desired translucence. 

If you are not immediately using the broth pour it one or several heavy duty freezer bags.  This time around I chose to freeze mine in 4-cup portions.