I don't know who said that, but surely someone did. There are few more nourishing, more grounding and more vital recipes to have in your wheelhouse than the almighty broth.
A hearty broth offers a flavourful base for soups, are an excellent medium for sauteing vegetables and are great to combine with your oil so it doesn't get too hot in a stir-fry. They are also an awesome way to use up vegetable scraps! Instead of tossing scraps in the bin, have a freezer bag on the go and just toss all your not-so-pretty ends, tops and onion skins into your freezer bag and take out the morning of your stock-making day. To give the broth a different flavour, try roasting the vegetables tossed with olive oil before cooking in the stock. Stocks are cooked for a minimum of an hour, but longer is advised. The longer it cooks, the more nutrients and flavour you will get from your vegetables.
Bone broths also require this nutritive vegetable base. To make an omnivorous version of this stock, use your poultry or meat bones or pick up a marrow-rich beef or bison thigh bone from the butcher. Place bones in stock pot with 2 tbsp vinegar (per quart of water) and cover with water. Add vegetables after bones have soaked for 1 hour. You can also choose bones with some meat on them for extra flavour. The cooking time for a good bone broth is anywhere from 2 – 72 hours. The longer your cook it, the more minerals you'll extract out of the bones and the vegetables and mineral-rich herbs help to facilitate that process. I have added all manner of crazy ingredients - reishi mushroom slices, old man's beard, nettle leaves, you name it, if it's edible, throw it in. Bone broths can be incredibly healing and are an essential way to build strength following major illness, surgery and childbirth. Broth can also be eaten solo or with a spoonful of miso or in any number of ways, just search for recipes on the web and you'll be brothin' it up for days.
1 onion, halfed and roughly chopped
1 head of garlic, roughly chopped
1 leek, halved
2 – 4 carrots, roughly chopped
2 – 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 tomato, quartered
vegetable scraps (peels, tops, onion skins, etc.)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 4-inch strip of kombu
1 bunch parsley
3 bay leaves
fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savoury, nettle leaf, etc.)
1 teaspoon Herbamare or sea salt (optional)
water to cover (about 10 cups)
If using bones, use chicken carcasses, chicken feet (extra gelatin for joint health,) chicken necks and backs, or for beef stock, marrow-rich and any carcass bones, knuckles, etc. soak in 2 tbsps vinegar/quart of water for 30 to 60 mins before turning on the heat to increase mineral extraction from bones.
1. If roasting veggies, preheat oven to 425°F. Place onion, garlic, leek, carrots, celery, tomato and vegetable scraps in large casserole dish and toss with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes
2. Meanwhile place kombu, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, herbs and salt, if using, in large stock pot and set aside. If using bones, prepare them as directed above.
3. When roasted vegetables are finished, remove from oven and add to large stock pot.
4. Cover completely with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 to 10+ hours. The longer it cooks, the more flavourful your stock will be.
5. Strain vegetables out of stock and discard. Use remaining stock immediately in soup or place pot in cool water bath to cool as quickly as possible. Decant and leave in refrigerator for up to a week. Also freeze in 2 to 4 cup portions for future use. You can also freeze in an ice cube tray and add to grains or sautes as desired.