Skip to main content

Wild Mushroom Stock

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 3 quarts

Ingredients

4 cups plus 3 1/2 quarts water
4 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 parsnips, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 bunch (about 1 1/2 pounds) red or green Swiss chard, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 dried bay leaf
Several sprigs thyme
Several sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Place the dried mushrooms in a medium heatproof bowl; pour the boiling water over the mushrooms. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl, reserving the liquid and mushrooms separately. Set aside.

    Step 2

    In a medium stockpot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved mushrooms along with the carrots, parsnips, and celery; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

    Step 3

    Stir the Swiss chard into the vegetable mixture in the pot. Add 3 1/2 quarts cold water, reserved mushroom liquid (being careful to leave behind any sediment), bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 1 hour.

    Step 4

    Remove the pot from the heat, and strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander into a large heatproof bowl or saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Store the stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
Read More
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like fattoush salad and strawberry shortcake roll.
Add a bag of potato chips and you've got yourself a party.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
The most efficient method takes less than an hour, but you might not even need it.
Using two entire lemons—pith, skin, and all—cranks up the citrus flavor in this classic dessert.
Think a Hugo spritz, a gin basil smash, and plenty more patio-ready pours.