Super Eco

Photo credit: ms.lume, flickr

I have always felt that first rate soup should stir the imagination as well as satisfy the appetite. This is my favorite soup stock recipe, it is simple, elegant and I use it as a base for most spring and summer soups.

Assemble these ingredients:

4 quarts filtered water
2 scrubbed organic carrots, halved (cut off tops and bottoms)
1 bunch washed organic flat parsley (cut off about one inch of stem)
1 16 oz. can organic plum tomatoes (the tomatoes and the juice)
1 onion peeled and quartered
2 cloves of garlic peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon coarse Fleur de Sel
5 whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a stock pot over medium/low heat combine the olive oil and onion saute for about 3 minutes, add the water and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
2. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Cool the pot and ingredients in an ice/cold water bath in the sink.
4. When cooled, strain through a heavy stainless conical chinoise, pulverizing the cooked vegetables with the wooden roller and pushing them through the sieve, this will add substance to your stock (you can compost the remaining spent vegetable pulp).
5. You will then need to decant the stock into 5, quart sized—I use glass—bottles or containers.

Soup stock can be frozen for use at a later time. If you are freezing the stock, don't forget to write the date made on top and leave room in the top of each bottle—about 1 1/2 inch—because fluids expand when frozen.

This stock can be used by itself as a refreshing light soup accompanying a meal by adding a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.