Vegetable Soup Base
This is an easy vegetable stock to have on hand. Much better than the supermarket products. This recipe grinds fresh vegetables, salt, and other ingredients into a smooth paste. The paste can be store in the freezer and used as needed. Leeks provide good allium flavor, and a small amount of freeze-dried onions support the fresh flavor of the leeks. Tomato paste and soy sauce provide an flavor boost.
Makes about 1 ½ cups base
Enough for 7 quarts of veggie stock
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped and washed thoroughly (5 cups)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2/3 cup or 3 ounces)
1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3/4 cup or 3 ounces)
1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) parsley leaves and thin stems
3 tablespoons dried minced onions
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
3 tablespoons organic soy sauce or your favorite substitute
Directions
Process leeks, carrots, celery root, parsley, minced onions, and salt in food processor, scraping down sides of bowl frequently, until paste is as fine as possible, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add tomato paste and process for 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl every 20 seconds.
Add soy sauce and continue to process 1 minute longer.
Transfer mixture to airtight container and tap firmly on counter to remove air bubbles.
Press small piece of parchment paper flush against surface of mixture and cover.
Freeze for up to 6 months
Make it your own
Kosher salt aids in grinding the vegetables. The broth base contains enough salt to keep it from freezing solid, making it easy to remove 1 tablespoon at a time.
To make 1 cup of broth, stir 1 tablespoon of fresh or frozen broth base into 1 cup of boiling water.
If particle-free broth is desired, let the broth steep for 5 minutes and then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer.
Adapted from America’s Test /kitchen, https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2018/02/09/vegetable-broth-base