Vegetable broth - general principles of preparation
Do you know that the words “boiler” and “broth” are related? In fact, both of these words came from the French bouillir, which means "boil." This is the meaning of cooking the broth, you just need to boil, that is, boil vegetables, meat or fish. It is from what product is the basis of the broth, and you get the original dish. We will learn how to cook vegetable broth and consider a few recipes.
What is it for? The most commonly used method of application is when diluting fish or meat dishes, preparing soups (especially mashed soup) and borsch, vegetable stew, sauce and other dishes. As you can see, the broth is a useful piece in cooking. The broth can be stored for a long time, and can also be frozen.
In addition, vegetable broth is the main dish in the gesta diet. This “food” cannot be called tasty (because preparing a broth without salt from only four vegetable products), but it is quite edible, pleasant in taste and suitable for eating to recovering patients.
Vegetable broth - preparation of products and utensils
It is easy to guess that for the preparation of the vegetable broth we need vegetables and water. Water is the basis of the “dish,” and therefore do not use the one that flows from the tap. Take filtered, or better yet, mineral (non-carbonated) water. It is on what this ingredient will be that the taste of the broth, its transparency and aroma depend.
Now let's move on to the vegetables. The broth will turn out the tastier the more various “gifts of the earth” will be, however here is what should be noted:
Carrots will give the broth sweetness. If you fry the carrots, then the broth will turn out even sweeter;
- Bulgarian pepper will give the broth such a strong aroma that it will interrupt the smell of any dish if you use the broth to stew meat or poultry;
- tomato will make the broth taste slightly sour, and sun-dried tomato will give the broth a thick, slightly meaty aroma;
- cabbage will make the broth more cloudy in color and also very fragrant;
-fried vegetables will create a completely different kind of broth than if you used raw vegetables;
- broccoli and cauliflower will present all their vitamins in the broth. You can use it as a basis for baby food.
Vegetable broth recipes
Recipe 1: Classic Vegetable Broth
In fact, if you put any vegetables in boiling water, you get a vegetable broth. But since different vegetables create different tastes, there are many recipes that are appropriate for use in certain dishes. Such a broth, which is described in this recipe, is good for any dishes, as it has a neutral light taste and is almost transparent. In addition, it is this broth that can be used in the Gesta diet. We are not supporters of diets - it is better to always lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right, getting all the necessary elements, but you can take note of this recipe anyway. A cup of broth and a couple of slices of bread would be a great breakfast.
Ingredients Required:
- Purified water 1.3 liters
- 2 carrots
- Leek
- Tomatoes 2 pieces
- Thyme
Cooking method:
- We put water in a saucepan on fire.
- My carrots and tomatoes. We clean the carrots and cut the cubes together with the tomatoes and throw them into the water.
- Add chopped thyme and leek to the boiling water, cover with a lid and let cook for about twenty-five minutes on a small fire. Remove from heat and strain. That's all. Please note that broth according to this recipe does not need to be salted.
Recipe 2: Vegetable Broth with Pepper
Such a broth is good in order to add it to meat dishes. For example, you cook goulash and want to dilute it, or you make mashed meat. Such a broth will be very fragrant and rich.
Ingredients Required:
- 1.3 liters of purified water
- Bulgarian pepper 2 pieces
- 2 carrots
- Bulb onion 1 large size
- Parsley
- Salt
Cooking method:
- We put a pot of water on the fire, let it boil.
- While the water is boiling, cook the vegetables. Peel and cut the carrots.
- Peel and chop the onion
- My pepper, cut the core with seeds and cut into squares. Put vegetables in a pan, salt.
- Cut the washed parsley and add to the pan two to three minutes after the vegetables are put there. Cook the broth for twenty minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Filter the broth.
Recipe 3: Vegetable Broth with Mushrooms
Do you like mushroom soup? More likely than not - after all, many people love fragrant soup! In addition, thick meat dishes can be diluted with mushroom vegetable broth, and also use it as the basis for mashed soup. You will need mushrooms - best forest, as the most fragrant. However, if you do not have the talent of a mushroom picker, it’s okay, champignons from the store are also quite suitable. Do not forget about fresh parsley - this ingredient will enhance the already strong aroma of champignons, making the broth very mushroom.
Ingredients Required:
- Mineral water for broth 1.3 liters
- Mushrooms 400 grams
- Onion 1 piece
- Fresh greens
Cooking method:
- Put a pot of water on the fire.
- Peel and chop the onion coarsely.
- I wash the mushrooms well (best fill them for ten minutes so that all the dirt is washed off), after which we cut them coarsely, into three or four parts each.
- Mushrooms and onions put in a pan, salt.
- Finely chop the washed parsley and add to the pan about five minutes after putting the mushrooms there. Cook the broth for about fifteen minutes and remove from heat. We filter.
Recipe 4: Vegetable Broth with Toasted Vegetables
Despite the fact that the broth is vegetable, but if you use vegetables slightly fried, it will come out rich and satisfying.
Ingredients Required:
- Mineral water 1.4 for broth
- Carrot 2 pieces
- Onion
- Bulgarian sweet pepper 1 piece
- Butter 50 grams
- Salt
Cooking method:
- We heat the pan.
- Peel the onion and cut. Peel and cut the carrots coarsely.
- Put the oil in the pan, and when it melts, fry the onions and carrots until they turn golden.
- We put a pot of water on the stove.
- Wash and clean pepper, cut coarsely. Put pepper and fried vegetables in the stove. We salt. Cook vegetables for about eighteen minutes, after which we filter the broth.
Recipe 5: Vegetable Broth Green
A vegetable broth that you can cook according to this recipe will turn out to be a very beautiful greenish tint. Remember that cabbage will give the broth a very bright aroma that can even kill the smell of meat. Such a broth can be used in pure form, as well as taken as the basis for soup or borsch.
Ingredients Required:
- Purified water 1.4 liters
- White cabbage 1/3 medium-sized heads of cabbage
- Fennel
- Celery tubers
- Celery greens
- Thyme
- Bay leaf 2 pieces
- Dill
- Salt
Cooking method:
- Put a pot of water on the fire. Dip a couple of bay leaves there.
- Finely chop the cabbage and lower it into water, while it has not yet boiled, add salt.
- Following the cabbage, send the chopped celery and herbs to the pan in turn.
- Boil vegetables about twenty-five minutes after boiling, then strain the liquid.
Vegetable broth - secrets and useful tips from the best chefs
- Very often in recipes of vegetable broth you can find such an ingredient as leek. It can be bought in our supermarkets, but such an ingredient costs more than meat. Replace leeks can
- Salt the broth as soon as you place the vegetables in the pan. Why is that? Salt allows you to fully reveal the taste and aroma of vegetables, and since you need to cook the broth for a short time, salt the broth at the end, you will not allow the taste to fully manifest.
- What if you have a lot of broth left? It's a pity to pour, and there is no reason to, because there is a great alternative. Pour it into ice molds and let it freeze. Add the cubes of vegetable ice broth to soups and borsch. In general, you can store the broth for about a week in the refrigerator, it certainly will not disappear.
- Try adding slices of dried vegetables like mushrooms or tomato to the broth. Vegetable broth will acquire a deeper aroma and pleasant taste.
- What to do with boiled vegetables? They are completely edible, so you can just eat them.
- If you do not have fresh herbs, then take dried. Dried parsley or dill will give the broth the same aroma as fresh.
