Vegetable Stock

Ingredients

• 1 medium Onion (Roughly chopped)
• 2 Celery stalks (Roughly chopped)
• 1 large Carrot (Roughly chopped)
• 1 small Turnip (Roughly chopped)
• 8 cups Water
• 0.5 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 1 Bay leaf
• 5 Black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Mushroom ketchup (Optional, for added umami)
• 2 drops Parisian essence (Optional, for color)
• 0.25 teaspoon Burnt sugar (Optional, for color)
• 1 teaspoon Cornflour (Optional, for thickening)

Instructions

1. 1Wash and roughly chop the onion, celery stalks, carrot, and turnip.
2. 2Place the chopped vegetables in a large saucepan. Add water, thyme, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for at least 3 hours, or up to 4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld.
3. 3Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander to remove the solids. Discard the vegetables.
4. 4Season the stock with salt and mushroom ketchup (if using). If desired, whisk the cornflour with a tablespoon of cold water to form a slurry. Gradually whisk the slurry into the stock and simmer for a minute or two until slightly thickened. Add Parisian essence or burnt sugar for color, if desired.