A clear, fragrant French vegetable broth made with fresh tops, thoroughly washed peels, and trimmings usually discarded in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 250 g organic carrot peels and trimmings
- 250 g organic leek greens and trimmings
- 150 g organic radish or carrot tops
- 150 g organic celery leaves and trimmings
- 1 piece organic yellow onion
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 12 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley stems
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 leaf dried bay leaf
- 8 pieces black peppercorns
- 2 l water
- to taste fine salt
- 0.5 bunches fresh chives
Method
- Sort all the tops, peels, and trimmings. Discard any wilted, moldy, or dirty pieces, as well as potato peels, tomato tops, and very bitter cabbage leaves.
- Submerge the trimmings in a large volume of cold water, toss them thoroughly, then drain. Repeat the washing process until the water is perfectly clear. Pay special attention between the layers of leek greens, where dirt easily hides.
- Keep the clean onion skin, which will give the broth a light amber color. Quarter the onion and lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.
- Combine the carrot peels, leek trimmings, celery, onion, garlic, parsley stems, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a stockpot.
- Add the cold water. Heat gradually until it just begins to simmer, without letting it come to a rolling boil.
- Skim any small impurities that rise to the surface, then maintain a very gentle simmer, partially covered, for about forty-five minutes.
- Add the leafy tops halfway through the cooking time to preserve their vegetal character and prevent them from making the broth overly bitter.
- Remove the stockpot from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve without pressing the vegetables, to keep the liquid clear.
- Taste and salt sparingly. Reheat gently if necessary, without letting it boil again.
- Serve piping hot in bowls, garnished with a little finely chopped chives.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 33.6 kcal
- Protein
- 1.1 g
- Carbohydrate
- 7.35 g
- Fat
- 0.22 g
- Fibre
- 2.27 g
- Calcium
- 11.49 mg
- Iron
- 0.54 mg
- Magnesium
- 3.86 mg
