I have previously shared my favorite recipe for veggie stock here.  It’s intensely delicious, with deep herb and garlic flavors, but it also takes about 4 hours to make and, ideally, must be used to make soup right away.  Perfect for a long, winter weekend in the kitchen but….wouldn’t it be great if homemade stock was available at a moment’s notice?  Of course you can choose to buy a good brand of canned/boxed organic broth, but if you are a freak for homemade, here’s the answer.

Cook’s Magazine (I’m an addict) published this in the 2-15 issue, and I just had to try it.  Their claim: “This broth has it all: easy preparation, minimal waste, convenient storage, and, best of all, fresh, balanced vegetable flavor.”

It’s made in the food processor, raw and then frozen, for scooping out by the tablespoon whenever you need veggie stock. It chooses celery root instead of celery for “mild, complex celery flavor without bitterness/sourness”, dried minced onion gives it “depth” and tomato paste makes it “savory”. The soy sauce is for the “umami”.

Would it be as flavorful as my long-cooking veggie stock?  I had to know! So I made them both and put it to the test.

I know this seems like a salty recipe but once diluted it’s actually perfect. Salt also depresses the freezing point and the concentrate never freezes solid, making it perfectly scoopable from the freezer as needed.

I recommend using a digital scale for the best balance of flavors in this recipe. Kosher salt aids in grinding the vegetables.

Into the Cuisinart with it!  Do I still need to remind you that all root vegetables should be certified “Organic”?

2 leeks, white and green parts, chopped and washed, 5 ounces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 3 ounces

1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 3 ounces

1/2 cup/1/2 ounce) parsley leaves

3 T dried minced onion

2 T kosher salt

1 1/2 T tomato paste

2 T soy sauce

Process the leeks, celery root, parsley, minced onion and salt, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently, until the paste is as fine as possible, 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste for 1 minute, scraping sides frequently.  Add soy sauce and process another minute. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and tap firmly on the counter to remove air bubbles. Press a piece of parchment paper flush against the surface and cover.  Keeps in the freezer for 6 months.

  Here is what it looks like when it’s finished. The nearly 2 cups of base makes 28 cups of broth!

Reconstitute by adding 1 tablespoon of this base to 1 cup of boiling water. Strain though cheesecloth if you want a particle free broth, but it’s not necessary.

Here’s a cup of my standard stock, on the left, next to the reconstituted base on the right.  The flavors were similar but certainly not the same. The regular stock will still be my favorite for gourmet times and broth dependent soups.  But for everyday convenience, like risottos, pastas, sauces or quick soup for two….this freezer option is a winner!!!!