1. Choose the vegetables. Onions, carrots, and celery provide a great foundation. Additional vegetables, like garlic and scallions, provide flavor. The following are sample amounts of the most common vegetables, and others can be added as well. • 2 medium onions • 2 large carrots • 6 celery stalks • 6 garlic cloves
2. Clean whole, unpeeled vegetables thoroughly and cut into 1-inch pieces. It’s fine to add clean vegetable scraps (for example, carrot and onion peels) from other prep work to the stock too.
3. Add seasonings (optional). A small bunch of fresh parsley, a few whole black peppercorns, a sprig of thyme, or a couple of bay leaves work well to enhance the flavor of stock. Sample amounts: • 6 sprigs parsley (about ½ a bunch) • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
4. Sauté vegetables in 1 Tbsp of canola or vegetable oil until softened, about 5–7 minutes. A bit of browning helps build the flavor of the stock.
5. Cover the vegetables with water plus a bit more (exact amounts aren’t key to making stock). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the amount of liquid reduces by half, about 1½ hours. 6. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into one or more large bowls or pitchers. Discard the solids