A Really Good Broth

"I don't even butter my bread.  I consider that cooking."   Katherine Cebrian

Have you ever read one of those wonderful recipes for a really good broth?  The recipe generally instructs the would-be gourmand (wbg) to roast vegetables, usually onions, carrots and celery.  It goes on to instruct the aforementioned to perhaps roast some bones or carcasses.   And finally, when the veggies and the animal matter have taken on a lovely shade of deep brown everything is placed into a large kettle of water and simmered for three to seven days while the wbg makes sacrifices to the broth god, perhaps the offering or promise of a first born and a goat thrown in for good measure, unless the goat is already in the pot.  Also, just to make life more interesting, the directions suggest you use a pot that is larger than those used for prison populations.  But you soldier on because you've always wanted to make a really good broth.

Well, relax.  I have a broth recipe that is so easy you're going to want to send me cards of thanks in which you've enclosed various denominations of paper money, which is so much easier to mail than coins.  OK.  Maybe there won't be that money thing going on but you're going to love this recipe for its ease, its taste, and for the amount of lying you'll be able to do claiming that you slaved all day over the broth pot to bring this taste treasure to your family and friends.

Best of all, this puppy is vegetarian and inexpensive but has the aroma and taste of a delightful beef broth.  Can life get any better than this?  Let's hope so.

Ingredients

3 T soy sauce or tamari
2 t Kitchen Bouquet
2 T nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 t rubbed sage
2 cups water
1 t oil - now don't get all bent out of shape about what kind of oil.  Use whatever you have on hand unless it has a really strong taste, like roasted yak oil, or if it's something that dripped off the bottom of your car.

Now listen carefully to the distructions, which is a combination of the words directions and instructions and was coined by my two-year-old son who is now in his thirties and hasn't said one cute thing that is appropriate for a G-rated blog in a long while.  But he's still as cute as a button.

Distructions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.  That means you're going to have to bring the liquid up to a simmer and let it continue to simmer for 5 minutes, which will make this whole project, if you include chopping the onion, take about 10 minutes.

OPTIONS:  Don't you just love choices!  You could add sliced mushrooms and make a mushroom broth.  You will have to cook it just a few extra minutes to accomplish this little miracle.  I've actually served this as a beefy mushroom soup, liar that I am, and got high praises.

Other options include adding veggies to make a vegetable soup.  You could thicken the broth with cornstarch or arrowroot and make a gravy.  The excitement never ends!

One last thing because a bunch of you are out there asking, "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE NUTRITIONAL YEAST FLAKES?"  Nutritional yeast flakes are rich in minerals and a complete protein, which makes them a plus for this vegetarian broth.  Google them to find out all the other exciting details about this wonderful food item.  You can purchase nutritional yeast flakes on Amazon, of course, or at any health food store that's worthy of the title.  Just make sure you get the flakes and not the powder.  It makes a difference in this recipe.  Ask me how I know.

In subsequent blogs we'll explore other wonderful soups and also what to do with all of that nutritional yeast because you're probably going to buy way too much.  Who knew that it weighed so little and you'd get so much in that package you ordered.  Hang in there!

Loveya
The Mom