Homemade Vegetable Broth Without Chemicals

This homemade vegetable broth is a fantastic base for soups, stews, and other dishes, packed with natural flavors and no preservatives. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots
• 1 leek (white and light green parts)
• 2 parsnips
• 2 root parsley (or more parsnip if unavailable)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ kohlrabi
• ½ celeriac (celery root) and its leaves
• 1 fresh turmeric root (about 1-2 inches long)
• A handful of fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 80 grams salt (about 4-5 tablespoons, adjust to taste)

Instructions:

1. Prep the Vegetables:
   • Peel the carrots, parsnips, root parsley, onion, garlic, and turmeric.
   • Roughly chop all the vegetables (carrots, leek, parsnips, root parsley, onion, garlic, kohlrabi, celeriac, and turmeric) into medium-sized pieces.
   • Chop the parsley and celeriac leaves.
2. Sauté the Vegetables:
   • In a large pot, heat the sunflower oil over medium heat.
   • Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until translucent (about 5 minutes).
   • Add the carrots, parsnips, leek, root parsley, kohlrabi, celeriac, and turmeric, and stir occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes, letting the vegetables release their flavors.
3. Simmer the Broth:
   • Add enough water to the pot to cover all the vegetables (about 3-4 liters).
   • Stir in the salt and bring to a boil.
   • Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 1 to 1.5 hours.
4. Strain the Broth:
   • After simmering, remove the pot from the heat and allow the broth to cool slightly.
   • Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all the liquid.
5. Store or Use:
   • Let the broth cool completely before transferring to storage containers.
   • Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.

Tips:

• Additions: You can customize this broth by adding other herbs like thyme or bay leaves.
• Freezing: Pour the broth into ice cube trays for small, easy-to-use portions.

This natural broth is a healthier, flavorful alternative to store-bought varieties, without any chemicals or additives!