unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds • unpeeled yellow onions, cut into chunks • leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds • celery, including the heart, cut into thirds • unpeeled red potatoes, quartered • unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered • unpeeled garnet yam, quartered • unpeeled cloves garlic, halved • fresh flat-leaf parsley • strip of kombu* • black peppercorns • whole allspice or juniper berries •