Detox Vegetable Pot-au-Feu

Ingredients

• 1 medium bulb Fennel (Cut into quarters, remove the hard core)
• 2 small Turnip (Peel and cut into similarly sized pieces)
• 1 large Onion (Peel, cut in half and stud with 2‑3 cloves)
• 2 small Jerusalem artichoke (Topinambour) (Peel and cut into pieces)
• 1 medium Parsnip (Cut into pieces about 3 cm)
• 2 medium Carrots (Cut into sections the same size as the other vegetables)
• 200 g Potatoes (Small potatoes, leave whole after washing)
• 150 g Button mushrooms (Cut each mushroom into quarters)
• 1 large White leek (Separate the white part, cut in half, tie with string)
• 1 large Leek green part (Cut into sections, add with the white part)
• 2 stalks Celery stalk (Wash, cut into pieces, tie together)
• 3 cloves Garlic (Peel and leave whole)
• 1 small bunch Fresh cilantro (Wash, leave whole for the aromatic bunch)
• 5 leaves Fresh sage (Tear the leaves)
• 2 sprigs Fresh thyme (Leave whole in the bunch)
• 2 units Bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Coarse sea salt (Adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper (Preferably freshly ground)
• 1 tablespoon Tomato paste (Added at mid‑cooking for color and flavor)
• 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (Drizzled over the vegetables just before serving)
• a pinch Fleur de sel (To finish)
• 2 litres Water (Cold water, preferably filtered)

Instructions

1. Washing and cutting the vegetables

   Rinse all vegetables thoroughly under cold water. Peel the fennel, turnips, parsnip, carrots and potatoes. Cut each vegetable into pieces about 3 cm to ensure even cooking.

   Time: PT15M

2. Preparing aromatics and tying

   Separate the white part of the leek and cut in half, leave the green part in sections. Tie the white leek and celery stalks with kitchen twine. Roughly chop the cilantro, detach the sage leaves, gather the thyme and bay leaves.

   Time: PT5M

3. Arranging in the pot

   Place the large vegetables (carrots, turnips, potatoes, celery) at the bottom of the pot. Add the clove‑studied onion, whole garlic cloves, tied leek, green leek parts, mushrooms, herb bouquet and bay leaves.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cooking the pot-au-feu

   Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low heat. Lightly season with coarse sea salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, partially covering the lid.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 90°C

5. Adding tomato paste at mid‑cooking

   After 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the tomato paste and mix well. This step adds color and depth of flavor.

   Time: PT1M

6. Finishing and serving

   When cooking is finished, remove the pot from heat. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot with the flavored broth.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

22 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Fennel: Anise, Carrots
• Instead of Turnip: Rutabaga, Beet
• Instead of Onion: Shallot
• Instead of Jerusalem artichoke (Topinambour): Parsnip, Carrots
• Instead of Parsnip: Carrots
• Instead of Carrots: Parsnip
• Instead of Potatoes: Sweet potatoes
• Instead of Button mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms, Oyster mushrooms
• Instead of White leek: Sweet onion
• Instead of Leek green part: Chives
• Instead of Celery stalk: Celeriac
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Flat-leaf parsley
• Instead of Fresh sage: Thyme
• Instead of Fresh thyme: Rosemary
• Instead of Bay leaves: Thyme
• Instead of Coarse sea salt: Fine salt
• Instead of Ground black pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Tomato paste: Tomato purée
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Canola oil
• Instead of Fleur de sel: Fine salt

Equipment Needed

• Large pot (minimum 3 L)
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Kitchen twine
• Ladle
• Strainer or skimmer (optional)
• Measuring spoons (optional)
• Bowl for herb bouquet (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Tie the white leek and celery to prevent them from falling apart.
• Start cooking cold to extract maximum flavor from the vegetables.
• Add the tomato paste exactly at mid‑cooking for an even color.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using filtered water improves the broth's clarity.
• For a stronger flavor, let the pot-au-feu rest covered for 10 minutes off the heat before serving.
• Serve with a slice of toasted whole‑grain bread to soak up the broth.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the pot-au-feu in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Not recommended as the vegetables lose their texture, but the broth alone can be frozen for 2 months.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the broth the day before and gently reheat before serving.
• Fresh herbs can be replaced with dried herbs (½ teaspoon of each).