Mushroom Stock

So, as much as I love making my own chicken stock, there's always room for variety, and mushroom stock (ok, broth -- whatever you want to call it) has the opportunity for a great depth of flavor.  Plus, it's a lot faster to make than chicken stock.

First, slice and rinse some leeks.


Clean and chop the following: Carrots, onion, mushrooms, celery, garlic, and parsley.






Sweat the leeks with a splash of olive oil over low heat until softened.  NOTE: Because this isn't made to be a stand alone dish, I do not add any salt.  Any salty component will be added as you cook with it.


Add the rest of the veggies, raise heat just a bit, and cook until everything has seen some heat.


Add a lot of water (9 cups or more).  The amount of veggies you use and the level of flavor concentration you want should determine the water level.  Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes to half an hour.


Strain everything through a china cap or fine-mesh sieve.  The liquid, of course, should be going  back in the pot (or, you can be lazy like me and just use another pot).


Bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce by about one cup.  Should take you 15-20 minutes.


Let cool, and skim the surface for any leftover particulates and oil.



Next up, I'll show you what I'm using this for.  Or, I'll show you for what I am using this.