Vegetable Stock??

Someday, in the not too distant future, I'll be cooking for some of my co-workers. One of the things I plan on making is Beans & Greens soup. The recipe I use calls for chicken stock, but one of my co-workers, of Indian (as in India) descent, is vegetarian, so I was thinking of making it using a vegetable stock (broth?), but I've never made it before. Any suggestions on how to proceed?

Someday, in the not too distant future, I'll be cooking for some of my co-workers. One of the things I plan on making is Beans & Greens soup. The recipe I use calls for chicken stock, but one of my co-workers, of Indian (as in India) descent, is vegetarian, so I was thinking of making it using a vegetable stock (broth?), but I've never made it before. Any suggestions on how to proceed?

Howie,
I have never made a vegetable stock either, but I would guess it is similar to making chicken stock, but without the chicken. When I make chicken stock, I usually make it using chicken breasts (skinless), and load up the water with carrots,(including the green part) onions, some cloves of garlic, celery (again including the green leafy part) I dump in a small handful of peppercorns, add a TB (or so) of kosher salt and set it to a boil. Once the boil stage is reached, I turn that down to a simmer and cook until the breast juice runs clear. I then allow the chicken sit in the broth covered until the broth reaches room temp, then make chicken salad reserving the broth for later use. I have no thoughts on how the same process wouldn't work for vegetable broth, however I might add potato peelings if I had them. I do think too, that a commercial broth base can be purchased for different kinds. In the BAWS here I have seen bases for beef, chicken, veal, lamb, and vegetable stocks. I do sometimes use a base for chicken and for beef stock when I don't have any on hand and don't want to go to the grocery store. Beware though that all these seem to have a TON of salt in them.

Someday, in the not too distant future, I'll be cooking for some of my co-workers. One of the things I plan on making is Beans & Greens soup. The recipe I use calls for chicken stock, but one of my co-workers, of Indian (as in India) descent, is vegetarian, so I was thinking of making it using a vegetable stock (broth?), but I've never made it before. Any suggestions on how to proceed?

Howie, I've never made it either but with absolutely no intent to hijack this thread, your post has given me the opportunity to ask a related question.
In the situation you describe, when one person out of a group would not be able to eat what you cook for whatever religious/political/"other" convictions, how far should one go to accommodate the individual and not the group?
If this doesn't belong here, please separate. I think it's an important question and one most of us have run up against at one time, so very interested in what was done and how was it handled.

I use the Knorr tablets.

In the situation you describe, when one person out of a group would not be able to eat what you cook for whatever religious/political/"other" convictions, how far should one go to accommodate the individual and not the group?

I have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in my home.

Howie,

I read two versions before making vegetable stock, then go with what vegetables are really good in the stores. A good baking apple -- Granny Smith for example -- will add some interesting flavor notes.

From FLDG -- I forget who posted this one and if I have time I like it very much. The roasted flavors are superb.

Vegetable Stock (RCP)

I think the lesson that I've had hammered home over the last year or so is that everything starts with stock. Since I knew this dinner was coming on Sunday, I make some vegetable stock on Wednesday:

2 lbs onion
1 lb. carrot
1 lb celery
1 lb rutabaga
1 lb turnip
1 lb parsnip
1 lb sweet potato
1 lb russet potato
1 lb celeriac
Handful of parsley
2 bay leaves

Clean all the veggies well and drain. Chop everything very coarsely. Keep the skin on the carrots and potatoes. Coat the veggies with olive oil and roast them for an hour or so at 350 deg F. Add the veggies with their juices to a 5 gallon pot. Add about 12 quarts water. Bring to a boil then drop the heat back and simmer for about an hour. Strain the veggies and feed them to the dog over the next week or so.

A more commercial, quicker version, comes from my Boot Camp course at the CIA in Hyde Park, and I've often used it as well. It's worth mentioning that we use a couple of gallons of vegetable stock a month, and I always have some on hand in the freezer.

Vegetable Stock:

Yield: one gallon

Ingredients:
Onions, sliced 8 oz
Leeks, whole, diced 1 pd
Celery root, diced 8 oz
Carrots, diced 8 oz
Turnip, diced 8 oz
Parsnips, diced 1 pd
Tomatoes, chopped 1 pd
Garlic, crushed cloves 8 each
Napa Cabbage, diced 8 oz
Mushroom trim 1 pd
Fennel seeds 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Thyme, dry 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Oregano, dry 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Bay leaf 4 each
Peppercorns, black,
Crushed 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Salt to taste

The precise mix of vegetables is not crucial; you need about three pounds altogether. Do not use greens.

Method

Combine all ingredients. Add to five quarts of cold water. Bring to boil, lower to simmer, check for sufficient seasoning.

Simmer slowly, no more than 20 to 30 minutes!

Strain through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.

Chill rapidly.

Best, Bob

We use a Martha Stewart recipe (horrors I should admit this) that has proven to be fantastic, and I can't emphasize how much better most homemade stock is than canned or instant versions. Do it !

I like the look of Bob Ross' recipes. I'll add that if you filter using a chinois (very fine metal sieve) or even a china cap, twice - instead of a coffee filter - you'll obtain a smoother but more robust product.

I will be glad to post our MS-based recipe. Warning: it fills the house with delicious smells for hours...

Good luck !

Thanks everyone.
Bob Ross - I think the first one would be better for the B&G soup, but I like the idea of cabbage in the second one.
Jeff - Yes - please post the Martha Stewart recipe.
Carl - never tried Knorr's - I'll give them a test spin.
Shel -

In the situation you describe, when one person out of a group would not be able to eat what you cook for whatever religious/political/"other" convictions, how far should one go to accommodate the individual and not the group?

In this instance, I don't think it's a big deal. Last month we started a "Lunch Club" on our office floor, and a different person is in charge each month. Most people are simply organizing a delivery from a local restaurant and providing menus, everyone orders what they want and we all eat together in the conference room, with everyone paying for their meals. I just thought it would be a good idea to bring in some nice home cooking. I don't think my month comes up until March or April. I'm thinking of the soup, bread of some kind, a salad of some sort and some meat dish or something. For instance, if I decided to do spaghetti and meatballs, I could do part of the sauce meatless with mushrooms and peppers and cook the meatballs in some of the sauce and serve them in a separate dish. Philosophically, I think if you can accommodate that one person without compromising the quality of the meal (and without having to bend over backwards) and still satisfy everyone else, then why not?

Howie,

Here's our RCP (recipe) for veg stock, mostly taken from a Martha Stewart version.

MS Vegetable Stock

Yields about 8 cups
Time required: 4-5 hours

5 large carrots, washed and cut into thirds
4 parsnips, washed and cut into large chunks
2 whole garlic heads, unpeeled
2 medium white onions, quartered
2 medium red onions, peeled
1 medium yellow onion, halved, unpeeled, studded with cloves
6 shallots, unpeeled
6 leeks, washed and cut into large pieces
1/2 bunch thyme
1/2 bunch chervil
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley (Italian)
2 bay leaf
3 1/4-inch pieces fresh ginger, peeled
2 Mcintosh apples, cored and quartered
3 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
1 TB whole black peppercorns
2 sweet potato or yam, washed unpeeled
6 quarts water

1 In a large stockpot, add everything: the carrots, garlic, onions, parsnips, shallots,leeks, thyme, chervil, parsley, bay leaves, ginger, apples, yam, celery and peppercorns.

2 Add two cups water and roast in 350 deg F. oven for 30 min.

3 Pour remaining water quantity in pot and bring to boil on stove using med-high heat.

4 Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.

5 Strain the stock using a colander or rough sieve to remove vegetables.

6 Cook stock again on stove at medium heat for 60 minutes more. It reduces and becomes more concentrated.

7 Fine-filter the stock using a fine mesh china cap sieve (do this twice) or if a smoother texture is preferred - with a chinois.

Cool in fridge; to chill quickly use smaller containers.

I am on the same page as Bob here. I always roast the vegetables. It makes the stock much more complex.

Sometimes I roast, sometimes I don't, depending on what I want the stock (broth?) to be. Likewise, the herbs added will greatly depend on what cuisine it will be used in. For Indian, I'll throw in some curry leaves, cilantro stalks (unless Cynthia is there!), and ginger peels/slices, along with the vegetables. For European stocks (broths?), cheese rinds are a nice touch. Mushrooms and mushroom trimmings are always welcome. The stocks can also be enriched with some whey left over from cheesemaking.

One trick- if you add a few drops of dark soy sauce (especially the kind with mushroom extract), you can get a noticeable increase in the depth of flavor.

Thanks for the suggestions, Stuart -- there are some real enhancements there. Bob

Howie,
Having made vegetarian beans and greens soup, I can assure you that there is no need to make veggie stock. You can essentially season the soup sufficiently well by incorporating enough aromatic vegetables into the soup from the beginning. The beans will add enough gusto to round out the flavors. The greens are no integral to the depth of flavor - they serve as an accent.

I would prepare a mirepoix of onion, leek and celery, saute in EVOO, add S&P and sliced garlic. Deglaze with white wine. Then add water and begin simmering. Add a cachet of herbs. The beans should already be precooked and seasoned. Add beans with some of the liquid and continue simmering. Adjust seasoning during cooking, adding more S&P and garlic, as needed. After the greens are added and cook thorough, you can finish the soup in the bowl with a dollop of pesto and a drizzle of EVOO.

Bernie

.
A more commercial, quicker version, comes from my Boot Camp course at the CIA in Hyde Park, and I've often used it as well. It's worth mentioning that we use a couple of gallons of vegetable stock a month, and I always have some on hand in the freezer.

Vegetable Stock:
Yield: one gallon

Ingredients:
Onions, sliced 8 oz
Leeks, whole, diced 1 pd
Celery root, diced 8 oz
Carrots, diced 8 oz
Turnip, diced 8 oz
Parsnips, diced 1 pd
Tomatoes, chopped 1 pd
Garlic, crushed cloves 8 each
Napa Cabbage, diced 8 oz
Mushroom trim 1 pd
Fennel seeds 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Thyme, dry 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Oregano, dry 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Bay leaf 4 each
Peppercorns, black,
Crushed 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Best, Bob

Hi Bob,

It is good to see that you are still looking in here and even better to see you posting. I will be make the second of you recipes for veggie broth, but they both sounds awesome. Can't make the first as I don't have a 5 gallon stock pot. I am curious though about the abbreviation pd in your ingredients list above. I assumed it to be for pound, but I see that you used lb for that in the first recipe. I have never made a veggie stock so, thanks for posting your recipes.

Hi Bob,

Careful reader, you are. lb or pd, two different authors, and I never noticed before.

In any event, I use the recipes as general guides -- what's on offer in great quality at the store often dictates which stock I make, although we both prefer the roasted version.

Best, Bob

Hi Bob,

Careful reader, you are. lb or pd, two different authors, and I never noticed before.

In any event, I use the recipes as general guides -- what's on offer in great quality at the store often dictates which stock I make, although we both prefer the roasted version.

Best, Bob

Thanks for clarifying Bob. As I said it is good to see you posting, and I hope your health is holding up.

Just a thought. If you're pressed for time, you can get canned vegetable stock.