One of the secrets to a great tasting soup is using a high quality stock. Canned stocks are horrible and should be avoided at all costs. Some of the organic boxed stocks are passable in a pinch, but there’s really no substitute for homemade stock. It’s easy, and you can freeze what you don’t use. Frozen stock should last about 3 months.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb shallots, peeled and quartered
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 lb celery, but into 1 inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 6-8 Italian parsley sprigs (whole)
• 5-6 fresh thyme sprigs (whole)
• 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup white cooking wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, lightly crushed
• 8 cups water (filtered or bottled)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss together the first 8 ingredients, plus the olive oil, in a large mixing bowl. Pour into a large deep-sided roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Transfer everything to a tall, narrow stock pot. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners over medium heat. Deglaze the pan with the wine, being sure to scrape up all the brown bits. Pour into the stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 50-60 minutes. While still hot, pour through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Taste the stock and season as necessary with salt and pepper. (Don’t add too much salt, as you’ll likely be adding more when you use the stock for soup.)

Use the stock within a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Some people blend the leftover vegetable with a little water then freeze the resulting paste to use as a soup starter. I’ve never done that, but it might be worth a try.