Vegetarian stock

I don't know whether it helps or hurts that I don't much like vegetarian broth - no brand or form of it canned is even edible, so far as I am concerned.  Ugh, what do they put in it?  So  I am trying to make it from scratch.  We've had several batches, all different, all okay, none perfect, but we're getting closer. 

Ingredients.  We decided against the turnip. Not shown: peas

One rule: don't overcook, because most overcooked vegetables, even seasoning vegetables, taste sour and awful. (There are exceptions; some green vegetables develop a different and much better taste after being cooked for an hour or more.)

Another rule, as I am learning, is that what meat contributes to good stock is an abundance of the flavor called "umami", a Japanese word meaning "deliciousness", which in its pure form is found in monosodium glutamate.  If a veggie stock is going to satisfy, umami must be included from vegetable sources.  Ingredients high in glutamates include ripe tomatoes and mushrooms, especially dried shiitake mushrooms.  Also high in glutamates are potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and peas. Thus, veggie stock will be more satisfying if it contains, at least, tomato paste, mushrooms, carrots and peas.  The more of those other ingredients included in the soup,  the more satisfying the broth will be.  With glutamate- rich foods as a base and liberal inclusion of the standard seasoning vegetables, we can produce a stock both satisfying and tasty.

Start with this:

Onion
Celery
Garlic
Carrot
Green pepper
Mushrooms

Saute seasoning vegetables

Dice and saute vegetables in batches to bring out the flavor, and when softened, place them in a cooking vessel (stockpot, crockpot, microwave- safe container, hotpot) about twice the volume of the vegetables you've sauteed.  Then add:

Tomato paste
Green peas
Parsley with stems

Fill pot 3/4 with water

Cook on High until hot, then reduce to Low and cook until vegetables are just done.

Strain out as much of the broth as you want to reserve, leaving enough broth with the cooked vegetables so that with the addition of some fresh items you can serve it as Vegetable or Minestrone soup.

One pint of stock will fill a 16-cube ice tray,  giving you frozen stock measured roughly in ounces for use in quick "little soups" or in other dishes.

Note:  Other ingredients to consider for veggie stock are "kombu", a seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, soy sauce, and Chinese cabbage.  All these will undoubtedly increase the "deliciousness" of your stock, but whether the flavors are appropriate will depend on what you intend to do with the stock.

Vegetarian Stock

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).

** This recipe also appears in our companion Blog "The Baker's Dozen"

Lima Bean and Mushroom Soup

We cooked this "Little Soup" in a small camper's pan which had been set into a hot pot.

Lima Bean and Mushroom soup cooked in a hotpot

4 frozen cubes (4 ounces) of vegetarian stock.

Heat until the cubes are mostly melted, about 5 minutes in the hot pot.

1/2 cup Baby limas with liquid, previously cooked without seasonings

Steamed kale
Minced red onion

Large fresh mushroom

Cut up the mushroom.  Add everything to the pan in the hot pot. Cook until the mushroom is soft.

Turn off heat and allow the soup to stand and steep for a few minutes before serving.

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).

Mushroom, Potato, and Veggie Little Soup

Mushroom, potato, and Veggie Little Soup

2 pre-cooked russet potatoes, peeled

1/2 cup pre-cooked "baby bella" mushrooms

1 roma tomato

1 green onion

1 mini sweet pepper
parsley
4 vegetarian frozen stock cubes

1/2 cup water

Melt the cubes in a large bowl for 1 minute in the microwave while you slice and dice everything else.

Hold out a few bits for garnish and put all the rest into your bowl along with 1/2 cup water.

Microwave 4 minutes, stopping midway to stir it all down into the liquid.

Garnish and enjoy!

Time: 5 minutes

Serves 2, or 1 generously

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).

Tiny Tasting Soups

Tiny soups inspired by "tasting bowls" found at Pier 1 Imports. One person might enjoy 3 or more servings of this size. Each bowl holds at most about half a cup.

Three tiny tasting soups, vegetarian

I started with a single one-ounce cube of frozen vegetarian broth for each Tiny Soup. (Next time I may use two.)

First Soup:

Small steamed potato, halved
Brussels Sprout, halved
Sprinkle of chopped green onion

Second Soup:

Spoonful of red beans
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
Sprinkle of chopped green onion

Third Soup:

2 large mushrooms
Sprinkle of chopped green onion

Microwave all 3 for 3 minutes. Garnish 1 and 3 with reserved tomato, and 2 with fresh cilantro. Serve.

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).

Vegetarian Stock

Ice trays produce cubes that are, conveniently, about 1 ounce each. A few of these with addition of "beans and greens" and heated for a few minutes becomes a single serving of homemade veggie soup.

Vegetarian Stock
Originally uploaded by The Baker's Dozen