Warm Broccoli and Carrot Clear Broth

There is something quietly reassuring about a bowl of clear broth. This one is built from the vegetables most kitchens already keep on hand: onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a head of broccoli. Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family, and it gives this broth its gentle green flavour. Broccoli is also one of those vegetables that keeps its shape well when cooked briefly, which is why the florets here stay tender without turning to mush.

A small tip from my own kitchen: cut the carrots and onions thin, as the recipe asks. Thin slices soften in the few minutes of sauteing and release their sweetness into the water quickly, so you get a broth that tastes like it has been simmering for much longer than it has. Keep the flame at medium and do not rush it. If the pan browns the garlic, the broth can turn bitter, so watch it closely in those first two or three minutes.

Salt deserves a light hand here. Add it, taste, and only then decide whether it needs more. A fresh grind of black pepper goes in at the end, so you can see the little flecks floating on the surface.

For a lunch that feels more like a meal, this broth sits nicely beside a bowl of Lemony Couscous Salad with Chickpeas and Feta. The bright, tangy salad balances the mild broth, and the chickpeas add some staying power. If you want something crisp on the side, the Crunchy Carrot Cucumber Rajma Salad brings the same carrot sweetness with a bit more bite.

Leftover broth keeps well in a covered container in the fridge for a day or two. Reheat it gently rather than letting it boil hard, since broccoli can go a little sulphurous if it is overcooked a second time. It also freezes nicely in small portions, which is handy for those mornings when you want something warm but have no energy to cook.