Passing more time between pots and stoves, I have better understood the importance of basic recipes. Among them, that of vegetable broth. And even if it is not a preparation that we usually associate with memorable moments at table or with family memories, it is one of those essential to prepare and flavor many dishes.
Vegetable broth: rationality versus feeling
The vegetable broth doesn’t arouse emotions and memories, but it is a useful recipe.
Maybe tt does not warm the heart but you can’t do without it.
Other recipes, on the contrary, evoke memories or are comfort food, the kind of food I’m talking about in the post where you can find the recipe for rice, potatoes and porcini casserole.
Among them, if I think of a broth, I think of meat broth.
Its scent makes me think of tables and happy moments, Sunday lunches and feast days celebrated with steaming soup dishes in broth.
I remember that vegetable broth was often prepared at home and that the aromas followed the season or use. But I must admit that I fully understood its importance only by attending a basic course of general cooking in Florence where I combined the knowledge I learned at home with a strong professional training.
The bases of vegetable broth.
It’s a naturally gluten-free preparation and has the advantage of adding flavor but not calories to dishes such as soups, risottos and main courses.
The basic ingredients are always the same: carrot, celery and onion that I choose organic, fresh and quality.
In vegetable broth, as for meat broth, you have to put the vegetables in cold water and slowly bring to the boil. Once you have reached it, turn the stove down immediately and let it mumble gently on the stove for about 45 minutes, one hour before turning it off.
The vegetables must be put in cold water so that nutrients and mineral salts flow into the broth; the flame must be kept low if you don’t want the water to evaporate, leaving a desolately empty pot.
Follow the seasons. For example, what is the point of adding a watery, tasteless tomato in winter?
Store the vegetable stock in the refrigerator for a few days. Or freeze it in glass jars or in molds to make ice. Especially for the more aromatic ones, a couple of cubes may be enough to make a sauce where cook meat or to add in a ragù.
Use the cooked vegetables from the broth to make a vegetable soup, flan, meatballs or veggie burger.
Buona cucina, Monica
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Homemade And Seasonal Vegetable Broth Recipe
Ingredients
for about 1 and a half liters of vegetable broth
2 liters of cold water
a golden onion
two carrots, about 120 g
a coast of celery with leaves
a pinch of coarse salt
Directions
Wash vegetables.
Remove the ends of the carrot, the skin of the onion but leaving it whole, break the celery coast in half.
Put the ingredients in a large pot, cover with cold water, add in coarse salt as to cook the pasta and bring to the boil.
When it reaches boiling point, lower the heat and cook for about 40-45 minutes in a semi-covered pot. If you are in a bit of a hurry, leave on the heat for 30 minutes, turn it off and wait about ten minutes before removing the vegetables from the stock.
If you cook for about 45 minutes, turn it off, remove the vegetables immediately, let it cool and filter by overlapping two strainers.
