Homemade Vegetable Stock

When it comes to the stock that I use in soups, stews or anywhere else that it's required, I almost always use vegetable stock no matter what the recipe calls for.  My biggest problem is that if I buy the cartons from the grocery store I usually only get to use about half of it and the rest gets put into the fridge until I need it for something else - by then though, it's undoubtedly found it's way to the very back, hidden by a plethora of condiments, and I forget that it's there.

Today was a less than stellar day as far as summer weather was concerned (very blustery), so it was a perfect day for boiling up some homemade vegetable stock that made the house smell divine - it even made my hubby pause just inside the door when he got home from work to ask what the lovely smell was.  Alas, I didn't actually make anything with the stock today so he didn't get to enjoy it, but the freezer is now full with 9 cups of golden nectar, ready for my curried carrot soup that I'm going to make in a day or two.

Homemade Vegetable Stock
makes 8-9 cups

1 red bell pepper, cut into eighths
1 kg carrots, chopped (no need to peel)
1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 large or 2 medium purple onions, peeled and quartered
1 large bunch of celery, coarsely chopped (include the small internal leaves)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp black pepper
pinch of salt (optional)
12 cups water

• preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• put all of the chopped vegetables into a large roasting pan and roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes until just beginning to colour slightly.
• transfer the vegetables to a large pot; add all the other ingredients and mix together.
• cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
• reduce the heat to medium and rapid simmer for around 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are soft and muted in colour.
• strain the vegetables and liquid through a fine mesh strainer (or even cheesecloth if you want a clearer stock), adjust any seasoning if you want and let cool.
• divide into 1 or 2 cup containers or ziploc bags (for easier use) and freeze until needed.

 Homemade Vegetable Stock ingredients.

roast all of the chopped vegetables in the oven until they're beginning to colour slightly.

transfer the roasted vegetables and all the other ingredients to a large pot and over medium heat rapid simmer until...

...soft and muted in colour.

strain the vegetables and liquid through a fine mesh strainer and once cool...

divide between containers (or freezer bags) ready for the freezer.

(the square ones are 2 cups and the circular ones are 1 cup capacity).

Don't forget to label them (like I did at first :o), otherwise in a couple of months time you'll be wondering if it's stock or apple juice!!!

Beef Stew

We woke up this morning to about an inch of snow - not much really for the area we live in (although we are forecast for more in the next couple of days) but enough that one of my first thoughts was......it's a slow cooker day.  Can you think of anything better than hunkering down at the end of a snowy day, with the fire blazing and a big bowl of beef stew on the table.....mmmm mmmm.

Beef Stew (Slow Cooker)
6-8 servings

1 kg stewing steak
2 cans condensed mushroom soup
1 can onion soup
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs worcestershire sauce

• peel and slice the onion and chop the garlic cloves; set aside.
• into a 5-6 quart slow cooker pot empty the three cans of soup.
• add the onion, garlic and worcestershire sauce and mix well.
• add the stewing steak and mix to combine everything thoroughly (if you want you can brown the meat in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker, but I never bother and it always comes out beautifully tender and moist)
• cook on LOW setting for 6-8 hours.

 Beef Stew ingredients.

slice and chop the onion and garlic.

put the soups, onion, garlic and worcestershire sauce in the slow cooker and mix well.

add the stewing steak and mix - I admit that at this stage the colour especially doesn't look very appetising, but by the end of the cooking time it will be a deep brown, bubbling bowl of bodaciousness ;o)

what did I tell you about the bodaciousness.....yummy!!

(I got our second slow cooker going with cheesy potato bake to go alongside...mmmmm)