Vegetable Mineral Broth
This is a magical elixir of soup, a broth that can be transformed to meet a myriad nutritional needs, serving as everything from a delicious sipping tea to the powerful base for more hearty soups and stews. It can provide a tremendous nutritional boost. This broth is chock-full of magnesium, potassium, and sodium, allows the body to refresh and restore itself. This golden broth will keep you in tip-top shape no matter what yucky bugs are going around!
Ingredients:
Makes 6 quarts
6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, cut into chunks (you can also use red onion as well like I did in this batch)
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam, quartered
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1-2 (8-inch) strips of kombu*
12 black peppercorns
8 whole allspice or juniper berries (I tend to use a combo of both, but I really like the flavor of the juniper berry best)
2 bay leaves
8 quarts cold, filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (this is optional but I think it brightens the broth just a bit)
* If you have other vegetables in your fridge that need to be used, toss them in! This is a great way to clean out the fridge. I have added turnips, rutabaga, and green cabbage all with great success. I’ve also added red cabbage and bell peppers, and I wouldn’t recommend these. The red cabbage turns the broth a funky color and the peppers add a bit of a bitter bite that I don’t love.
*Kombu is a mineral-rich seaweed (in the kelp family) that adds an umami or savory flavor to stocks and broths. Kombu is usually found in the Asian section of a grocery store near the nori (seaweed sheets) that are used for sushi. Store dried Kombu in a cool dark area in your pantry.
Instructions:
Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with the water to 2 inches below the rim, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath), then add salt to taste.
Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 4 hours
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 4 months.
