Victorious Vegetable Stock

Ingredients

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 5 stalks celery
• 3/4 lb leek, including green part
• 4 large carrots
• 2 large parsnips
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 apples or pears, cored
• 1 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
• 20 peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, tightly packed
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill, including stalks
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons salt

Optional

• 2 sprigs fresh oregano (optional)
• 2 sprigs fresh sage (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• parmesan cheese, rind only (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Use the flat side of a chef's knife to gently crush the garlic cloves.

2. 2

   Wash unpeeled vegetables well and cut them roughly into large pieces. Add to a large stock pot along with all other ingredients. Add entire sprigs of the herbs rather than removing the leaves from the stem.

3. 3

   Cover with water. Water level should be about 4 inches above the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam from the top of the broth, then partially cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of the cooking time, if you wish to make the stock richer, remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered to slightly reduce it.

4. 4

   When the stock has cooled slightly, strain it through a sieve or cloth, pressing all of the remaining liquid out of the vegetables. Compost or discard the remaining vegetables. What you don't eat immediately can be refrigerated for 3-5 days, or frozen.