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Clear Vegetable Soup is both a finished consommé and a base stock. Onion, carrot, celery, apple, herbs, and whole spices simmer together to build a fragrant broth.

The vegetables are chopped roughly because they will be strained out. Whole peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, and optional ginger flavor the liquid during a long, gentle simmer.

Three variations are possible: a more pungent version with garlic, lemon and parsley; a French-style version with fennel and leeks; and a simpler version with fewer spices.

Ingredients

• 1 cup onions, roughly chopped
• 1 1/4 cups carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 1/4 cups celery, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves or parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 1/4 cups apples, roughly chopped
• 3 slices fresh ginger, optional
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches long
• 2 cloves
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, roughly chopped, such as thyme, sage, or mint
• 10 cups water

Method

Combine all ingredients in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes. Strain before serving or using as stock. For the first variation, add 3 whole garlic cloves, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and 1 cup roughly chopped parsley. For a French-style variation, add 1 fennel bulb, replace the onions with 2 sliced leeks, and omit the cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and cilantro. For the simplest version, omit the cinnamon, ginger, and cilantro. Makes 8–10 cups.