Homemade Vegetable Broth

Wash the Celery (3 stalks), Carrots (3), Fresh Parsley (1 bunch), and Leeks (2) thoroughly to wash away the grit.

Cut Onions (2) into quarters and place them in a 16 quart stockpot with the onion peels. The peels help to give a nice brown color to the stock. Coarsely chop the carrots and celery, cut the Garlic (1 bulb) in half and place them all in the stockpot.

Cut off the dark green part of the leeks and leave them whole. Slice up the light part of the leeks and place into the stockpot.

Add the rest of the ingredients Mushrooms (2 1/4 cups) , Dried Porcini Mushrooms (3 Tbsp), Fresh Thyme (10), Black Peppercorns (1 Tbsp) , and Bay Leaves (2).

Fill the stockpot with water all the way to the top, leaving just enough room for the broth to simmer and not boil over.

Cover the stockpot with a lid, bring to a boil. (It takes about 15 minutes to come to a boil.) Season with Salt (to taste). I like to keep it light on the salt, since when I'm using the broth in some recipes that require me to reduce the broth, the flavors will concentrate.

Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth simmering for about an hour and a half. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth or paper towels.

Use right away and enjoy or store in the refrigerator or freezer to enjoy later!