Vegetable Pot Au Feu - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 fresh parsley sprigs
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
4 leeks, white part only, cut into 2-inch lengths
3 small yellow onions, peeled
3 small turnips, peeled and halved
3 boiling potatoes, halved
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 celery hearts, each 6 inches long

Preparation

In a large soup pot, combine the broth, water, salt, pepper and peppercorns.
Tie the bay leaves, parsley, and thyme together using kitchen string to make a bouquet garni.
Add it to the pot, along with the carrots, leeks, onions,turnips, potatoes and parsnips.
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the celery hearts, re-cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Then remove the cover and simmer until all the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes longer.
Remove the vegetables and arrange on a platter, (reserve broth for another use).
Serve veggies with cornichons, tiny onions, mustard or horseradish and mayonnaise in small bowls; and french bread (all optional).