Recipe: Homemade Vegetable Stock

Nothing beats having fresh homemade vegetable stock at home when we cook our soups, stews and sauces. Making vegetable stock requires vegetable in water over an hour or so. A tablespoon of stock paste is equivalent to 1 shop-bought stock cube. The salt in this recipe is used as a preservative. When mixed with water as described above, the stock will not taste too salty.

This recipe can be adapted using any leftover vegetables in our refrigerator. Weigh them to ensure quantities are consistent with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g celery stalks, trimmed, cut into pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into pieces
• 1 brown onion, cut into halves
• 1 fresh tomato, cut into halves
• 1 zucchini, cut into pieces
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 dried bay leaf (optional)
• 1 – 2 sprigs fresh basil, leaves only
• 1 – 2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only
• 1 – 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only
• 8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
• 150g rock salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS (Non-thermomix users)

1. Place celery, carrots, brown onion, tomato, zucchini, garlic cloves, bay leaf (optional), basil, sage, rosemary and parsley into food processor and blend till vegetable are mixed.
2. Add rock salt and olive oil and cook  40 minutes over medium heat. Cool stock and blend until a smooth paste consistency is achieved. Transfer stock into a sealable container then place into the refrigerator to store until use.
3. Optional – for those who like the vegetable stock in powder, layer an over tray with the paste and bake dry. Transfer the powder into an airtight jar when paste is cooled.

INSTRUCTIONS (Thermomix users)

1. Place celery, carrots, brown onion, tomato, zucchini, garlic cloves, bay leaf (optional), basil, sage, rosemary and parsley into mixing bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 6. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
2. Add rock salt and olive oil and cook 20 min/120°C/speed 1. Blend 1 min/speed 5-9, increasing speed gradually from speed 5 to speed 9 or until a smooth paste consistency is achieved. Transfer stock into a sealable container then place into the refrigerator to store until use.

Storing Information

Sealable containers in refrigerator. Vegetable stock paste can be stored in a sealable container in the refrigerator for several months.

Recipe by Thermomix.