Quick Garden Vegetable Broth

1.Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and moves fluidly across the pan.

2.Add the finely minced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and the onion becomes translucent. Finely mincing the vegetables is essential here to maximize surface area for rapid flavor extraction within the 15-minute window.

3.Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste turns a deep brick-red color and smells toasted; this adds essential umami and a golden hue to the quick broth.

4.Pour in the filtered water and add the thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a rolling boil.

5.Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and maintain a vigorous simmer for 10 minutes. This active bubbling helps emulsify the vegetable essences and herb oils into the water quickly.

6.Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heat-proof bowl or carafe, using the back of a ladle to press firmly on the vegetable solids to extract all the concentrated juices. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed before using immediately or cooling for storage.