The Super Easy Vegan Broth This Michelin-Star Chef Makes To Impress Guests

Eric Ripert is best known for his role as chef and co-owner of New York's Le Bernardin, a seafood-centric restaurant with three Michelin stars to its name—which means it might come as a surprise that he wrote an all-vegetable cookbook, titled Vegetable Simple, which was released yesterday.

Full of recipes inspired by simple preparations of produce, short ingredients, and Ripert's childhood, this 200-plus-page vegetarian cookbook may seem a bit unexpected from such a seafood-focused chef. But, in fact, it's a project years in the making: "At Le Bernardin, we have the mantra: 'The fish is the star of the plate,'" Ripert told mindbodygreen. "While that remains true, about three years ago, I became very curious about vegetables and began exploring why we weren't highlighting them in the same way as proteins."

Ripert isn't alone in this fascination with veggies; restaurants from fast food to fine dining have embraced the uptick in vegetarian and vegan eaters with gusto—but here at mindbodygreen, we've always been fascinated by the power of plant-based diets. (In fact, Ripert's book dedication "to the well-being of all" isn't too far off our core point of view.)

This consommé recipe is indicative of the type of cooking the book highlights: simple, clean, and purely focused on vegetables. Consommé is a type of broth, which is made with a technique to keep the mixture clear of sediment. While it usually starts with animal protein, this vegan version uses mushrooms. "I like to serve this consommé at the beginning of a meal," writes Ripert. "The lightness is deceptive, and it surprises my guests with its rich intense flavor."