Fresh Vegetable Broth: A “Vegan Essential” Dish

Vegetable broth is a key ingredient in some dishes and will add a lot of texture to any dish requiring water to prepare. For example, you can replace the water used to make polenta with vegetable broth and it will bring the already delicious side some extra character.

Sure vegetable broth can be easily purchased. By why do that if it’s so easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients already in your refrigerator? The key is to give yourself some time in advance of the main dish preparation for the broth to simmer. The ingredients listed here are what I generally use for a quick broth. But it’s very easy to improvise one and once you make it once or twice. You’ll be able to throw away any recipe you are following and come up with your own.

So go ahead, give this a try.

Time to prepare:

• 3 minute prep time
• Approximately 30 minutes cooking time

Tools

• 2-5 Qt pan and lid
• Measuring cup
• Cutting knife and board
• Strainer

Ingredients

 Basics

• 4 cups of water
• 5 Dried shiitake mushrooms (any dried mushroom will do, but shiitake is large which is why I like to use it)
• 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1/2 onion cut in large chunks

Optional ingredients

• Carrots (whole carrot quartered, or tips, or shavings)
• Celery
• 1/4 cup of white wine
• (Anything else you have handy)

Instructions

1. Pour water into pot and turn heat onto medium
2. Place vegetables in water and bring to boil
3. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutues
4. When finished strain liquid using a strainer. Set liquid aside for use and dispose the simmered vegetables.

Because it is used as a base in a lot of dishes, consider it a “Vegan Essential” recipe.