Broth

The soup is grunt. That’s why we decided that the next three recipes in the “I am having to eat today” series would be entirely soup-based.

And the basis of soups will be broth. The broth also goes in the sauces, and it’s good to have it handy at all times. It is good to prepare the broth in larger quantities, put some in the fridge, and add it to the various dishes gradually. The broth definitely comes in handy.

We list our three favorite soup bases below with the important note that improvisation is definitely allowed. If we don’t have parsley at home, we’ll put in sprigs of coriander or thyme. And even peel and cuts of the vegetables can give rise to a broth. We added similar soup advice after each recipe. We will also be very happy for your recommendations and comments, contact us on Facebook or Instagram. But now the broth, let’s get started!

Vegetable broth

Amount: 2 – 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 1.5 – 2l water
• 2 tablespoons butter (possibly other vegetable fat)
• 3 carrots
• 1 celery (smaller one)
• 1 parsley, parsley leaf
• 1 leek or stalk of celery
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 balls of new spice
• salt

Instructions:

We thoroughly clean the vegetables and cut them into medium-sized cubes.  In general, the larger the pieces of vegetable, the longer the cooking time. Put the butter in a pot and let it simmer over a low fire, then add the vegetables and fry them lightly. Water everything. We add spices to the vegetables, we can salt. Let the broth cook on low fire for approximately an hour. During cooking, we can taste whether it seems strong enough, or let it cook longer or taste it to your liking.

* Zerowaste tip: We use any vegetable found in our kitchen or fridge in the vegetable broth. During any cooking process, we add usable vegetable “waste,” i.e., various cuts, such as onion or potato peels, broccoli or cauliflower. Wash them and put them in a resealable bag in the freezer.

Chicken broth

An ideal variant for noodle soup or “what the house gave” soup.

Amount: 2 – 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 1,5 – 2l water
• 1 package of chicken necks or approx. 400 g per weight (we can also use other chicken meat)
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 smaller celery
• bunch of parsley leaf (you can use dried)
• salt
• pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 balls of new spice

Instructions:

We clean the vegetables and meat, cut the vegetables in half, put them together with the chicken in one pot, pour water over it so that everything is immersed and let it “pull”  for at least 2 hours on a small flame (really cook slowly so that it does not run out of the pot, or check it occasionally). We won’t forget to season the broth with salt, pepper and spices. When the meat or vegetables have softened nicely, you can catch the individual components from the broth, cut them into smaller cubes and return them to the broth, or use the vegetables in risotto, or example.
When using spices like bay leaves or new spices. Let’s not forget to take the spices out after you’ve finished cooking, so you don’t get the soup too aromatic.

* Foam forms on the surface during cooking. If we continuously pick the foam from the broth with a spoon, the broth won’t become so cloudy, and the result will be a beautifully clear broth.

Smoked meat broth

We recommend it as a base for garlic soup. 

Amount: 2 – 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 1,5 – 2l water
• 500g smoked bones or smoked meat
• 2 onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• salt
• pepper
• 3 piece bay leaf
• 4 balls of new spice

Instructions:

We clean the vegetables and smoked meat and put them in a casserole. Pour water over and add garlic, spices, season with salt and possibly pepper. Let everything cook slowly for approximately 2 hours on a low fire, so that the broth does not run out of the pot, stirring occasionally. As with the previous recipe, we can leave the broth clean or cut all components and put them back into the broth.

*If we want to keep some of the broth as a base in another soup, for example, we pour it into a clean glass and let it cool completely. Put cool and properly sealed in the fridge, this way the broth will last for a few days.