Vegan "Chicken" Stock - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 sprig parsley or 1 pinch dried chervil (optional)
2 -3 tablespoons good-tasting yeast
4 cups water (preferably filtered)

Preparation

Peel and slice the carrot.
Slice the celery, and break up the shiitakes.
Put all the ingredients in a pot.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes- no longer.
Strain through a fine sieve.
If your sieve is coarse, line it with a clean tea-towel.
Use in place of chicken stock.
The yeast tends to settle out, so if you are using it clear, you may wish to thicken it with a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water.
The vegetables can be picked out from the herbs, and added to soup, casseroles, etc, as they have not been cooked to death.
Discard the herbs.