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Herb Stock

Photo: Getty Images

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED May 1, 2024

This recipe is meant to be fast, so by ‘‘simmer,’’ I mean as little as five minutes and no more than 15. You can season these stocks at the end with salt and pepper to taste, or wait until you’re ready to turn them into full-fledged soups.

 

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Here’s the problem with homemade stock: It’s so good that it doesn’t last long. What’s needed is something you can produce more or less on the spot.

Although water is a suitable proxy in small quantities, when it comes to making the bubbling, chest-warming soups that we rely on in winter, water needs some help. Fortunately, there are almost certainly flavorful ingredients sitting in your fridge or pantry that can transform water into a good stock in a matter of minutes.

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Herb Stock

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Makes About 6 cups of stock 1x

Time 15 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

  • A small handful of rosemary, thyme or sage sprigs
  • A large handful of parsley sprigs
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • A pinch of black peppercorns

Instructions

  1. Combine 6 cups water with a small handful of rosemary, thyme or sage sprigs, a large handful of parsley sprigs, a few bay leaves, 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves and a pinch of black peppercorns.
  2. Bring barely to a simmer, then turn off the heat; steep a few minutes, and strain.

— Recipe from The New York Times

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