Vegetable Broths

Here are a few tips for your stockpot:

Rather than purchasing boneless chicken breasts, remove the bones yourself and accumulate them in the freezer for stock making.

If you're less skilled with the boning knife, keep in mind that leaving a little meat on the bones will only add to the taste.

When you've collected enough chicken bones, cook up a batch of chicken stock by adding flavour-boosting additions like carrots, parsnips, celery, onions and fresh herbs.

If the taste seems to be diluted, rather than adding salt, remove the lid from the pot, allowing the broth to concentrate and become more flavourful.

Freeze and use as needed. If you are cooking for a small family or for two or just yourself, freeze in smaller proportions with the date and the name of the broth on the frezzer package. This way you can whip up a meal in no time.

Making vegetable broths is a terrific way to empty your vegetable bin. Carrots, celery, parsnips, onions, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes -- along with herbs like parsley and dill -- are just a few examples of those foods that can be simmered together for a rich-tasting broth.

Avoid those with strong tastes or aromas, such as cabbage. Save the trimmings or odds and ends from different vegetables such as Shiitake or Portabello mushrooms in a container in the freezer and add to the stockpot.

For a meatier vegetable broth, add a few black Chinese mushrooms. Soak them first in boiling water to remove any grit.
Strain the soaking liquid and then add to the broth as well. These mushrooms, found in Asian grocery stores, are cheaper than other dried mushrooms.
Simmer the broth over a low heat for a few hours and cool slightly before straining and store.

Roasting vegetables on a baking sheet until they're tender and then adding them to a broth can produce a soup to savour.

Don't waste valuable cooking time preparing only small amounts of long cooking soups. In some cases, where small amounts of various vegetables may be called for, cook up a second pot at the same time.