Root Vegetable Stock (For Mushroom Stroganoff With Spinach).

JC in Texas's Note:

The root vegetable stock can be used in many other international recipes. I also use it in some of my American stews, soups, etc.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-5

Yield: 10.0 cups

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 large turnip, coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (include leaves, if any)
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 12 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 large parsley sprigs
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 2 whole garlic cloves (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns (optional)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a 7 to 8-quart kettle over medium-high heat. Add carrots, turnip, celery, and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden (about 15 minutes).
2. Stir in water, salt, parsley, bay leaf, and thyme. If desired, add garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. STRAIN and discard vegetables.
3. This will yield far more than you will need for this one dish, about 10 cups, but when the garden is ready and the vegetables fresh, we freeze the rest and use it throughout the year. It freezes very well for up to a year.

Reviews

[bluemoon downunder]

Although I have my own recently-found Vegetable Stock recipe which I love, I selected this from JKC’s recipes for the 2005 Pick a Chef because I know root vegetables are SO flavoursome and because I wanted to make JKC’s Mushroom Stroganoff With Spinach, and be faithful to both recipes. Compared with chicken and beef stocks, too often vegetable stock can be rather bland. Not this recipe: this makes a really flavoursome vegetable stock which I thoroughly recommend.