Veggie Broth (Stock)

The secret to a vegetable stock with real depth? Roast the vegetables first. Onions, leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and an apple get chunked up and blasted in a hot oven until deeply browned and caramelized. That browning creates a sweetness and complexity you’ll never get from raw vegetables thrown into a pot of water.

After roasting, everything goes into a stockpot along with veggie peelings, trimmings, herbs, peppercorns, and whatever else is looking tired in the crisper drawer. Cover with water by two inches, bring to a boil, and simmer. Twenty to thirty minutes is enough, though longer doesn’t hurt.

The apple is the ingredient that surprises people. It adds a subtle, rounded sweetness that balances the earthiness of the mushrooms and the sharpness of the onions.

Kitchen Tips

• Old, shriveled mushrooms are actually better here than fresh ones. They’re more concentrated in flavor.
• Don’t peel the ginger or garlic. The skins add flavor and get strained out anyway.
• Save your vegetable scraps in a bag in the freezer all week. This is where they finally get used.
• Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for a clearer broth.

Variations

• Add a stalk of lemongrass for an Asian-inspired stock that’s great for rice or noodle soups.
• Toss in dried thyme, dill seeds, or whole allspice for different flavor profiles.
• Use this stock for cooking pasta, risotto, sauteeing vegetables, or as a base for any soup.