Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 leek, finely diced
1 carrot, scraped and diced
1 small fennel bulb, diced
3 garlic cloves, left whole and gently crushed
20 black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
10 button mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms, for preference)
1 celery stick, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
6 stalks of flat-leaf parsley, torn
Method:
Heat the olive oil in the base of a heavy-based saucepan or stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, leek, carrot and fennel. Stir-fry to coat in the oil then cover the pan and sweat the vegetables gently for 3 minutes.
Pour over enough water to cover the vegetables fairly generously then increase the heat to high. Add the garlic, peppercorns, allspice, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes and parsley. Stir to combine then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and continue boiling gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Take the stock off the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 minutes then pour through a fine-meshed sieve. Allow to drain naturally (do not press down on the solids). Either use the stock immediately, store in the refrigerator (it will keep for up to three days), or store for later use.
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