Vegetable stock

Vegetable stock

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 small russet potato, chopped 2 garlic cloves, halved
50g/2oz dried red lentils
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 teaspoon peppercorns
1⁄2 tablespoon light soy sauce pinch of dried thyme
6 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Put the oil in a large casserole dish
over a medium heat. Sauté the
leeks, carrots, celery, potato and
garlic until slightly browned. Add
1.2 litres/2pt water and the remaining ingredients.
• Bring to the boil, then reduce the
heat and simmer, uncovered, for
1 hour. Strain the stock through a
fine-mesh sieve and leave to cool.
• Store in the refrigerator and use
within 3 or 4 days, or divide into
portions and freeze until needed.

makes 500ml/18fl oz