Scott's Vegetable Broth With Very Low Sodium

Ingredients

• 3 medium celery ribs, whole, with leaves, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 Spanish onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium green bell peppers, skin on, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf, shredded
• 1 teaspoon sweet basil
• 8 black peppercorns
• 3 quarts water

Directions

1. 1

   Place all the ingredients into a stockpot and simmer, partially covered, for 8 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally.

2. 2

   Skim off any scum that appears. Cook it this way for 45 minutes. (If using a crockpot, cook on LOW for 8-12 hours and skim scum when done.).

3. 3

   Remove the ingredients from the pot and strain the stock through cheesecloth or a cheesecloth-lined vegetable strainer or sieve. Throw out the solids.

4. 4

   Simmer the strained stock until it reduces to about 8 cups.

5. 5

   If making ahead, let cool and store in 2-cup freezer containers to approximate the volume of one can of soup.