Introduction
- If you do make this dish unhurriedly, the subtlety of the flavor will surprise you. Food can tell when you are rushed and will not cooperate.
- The inspiration for this dish comes from: Rombauer, I. S., Becker, M. B., & Becker, E. (1975, p. 38). Joy of Cooking. New York NY: Scribner. I have made a few minor changes from the original recipe but not enough to take credit for it.
- Yield: 6 to 8 cups (1-1/2 to 2 liters) of broth.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (52 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 3 leeks, white and green parts, sliced and cleaned
- 2 organic carrots sliced. If conventional, pare them first
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and sliced
- 6 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 3 quarts (liters) water
- 6 celery leaves
- 16 stems of fresh thyme
- Medium bunch of parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Procedure
- Melt butter over medium heat in an 8-quart (8-liter) stockpot.
Wilting the Vegetables - Add the onions, leeks, carrots, turnips, and garlic to pot.
- Saute gently for 15 minutes to wilt the vegetables.
- Then, add water, celery leaves, thyme, parsley and bay leaves.
- Bring to simmer, partially cover, stir occasionally, and let simmer 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your elevation above sea level.
- Strain the broth into another pot or heat proof storage container.
- Add the sea salt.
Endnotes
- If you are new to cooking, please do not stress about the size of the onions and leeks. This particular dish is a culinary and mindfulness delight, not a rigorous science experiment.
- If your culinary water has off tastes, please use filtered or R/O water.
- I have found that 1 teaspoon of sea salt is about right for seasoning this broth. Of course, you will use your own taste. Due to the delicacy of the broth flavor, I avoid pepper.
- I use this broth for ramen-inspired soup. The flavor of the broth is so delicate that I do not use tare or finishing oil in the ramen bowls. Further, the soup is delicious with imported Italian spaghetti. I do use toppings such as green onions, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, cooked frozen corn, shoyu eggs, and sautéed shrimp. Please note: I say ramen-inspired” and not ramen. I have much respect for the ramen-ya chefs and their patrons.
The Broth - I also use this broth for beef stew.
- For risotto, rice pilaf, and cream soups, I use chicken broth.
- While preparing this broth, I thank the many people and the cow who made these ingredients available.
Take care,
Your blog host,
Michael DeCaria