In a soup pot, heat oil over high. Add onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain broth through a fine sieve; discard solids. Makes about 5 cups.

Storage: The broth will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

TIps: *Crack a bay leaf and sniff. If fresh and aromatic, use 2 leaves in the soup. *Coarsely chop the carrots and onion and celery together in a food processor fitted with metal blade. *No need to peel the garlic. You may want to peel the onion. Scrub the carrots and wash the leek. *Results: a generous quart of an amber or apricot colored broth, slightly cloudy. Chill the broth and the oil separates. Guessing that about 1 tsp of the oil was absorbed by the onion and maintained. Per Batch Skimmed: 500 cals, 8.6 g fat (14.2%). Per Batch Unskimmed: 539 cals, 13.1 g fat (20.1%)

Credits: Positively Vegetarian Dec 97 by Deborah Madison for Eating Well, a

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