Stock or broth is something I always have in the fridge or freezer, whether its veg or meat-based. It’s the base for knocking up quick soups, gives body and flavour to slow cooked dishes, perfect for braising leafy greens and deglazing pans. Here’s a great way to knock up some home-made veggie stock using food scraps…
Start collecting your scraps while cooking. Yep, all the stuff that would normally go in the bin. Best things to use are:
Peelings and ends of carrots and parsnips
celery ends
outer peelings of onion
herb stalks
Potato peels/ends (starch can add a good viscosity to the stock)
Zucchini, fennel, chard, mushroom stalks, squash, asparagus.
TIP: don’t chuck in cruciferous veg like cauliflower, broccoli stalks as they can add a bitter flavour.
Place the scraps in the freezer in a bag or sealed container. Keep adding to the collection until you have at least 4 cups of scraps. (You can freeze scraps for up to 6 months).
Place scraps in pot and cover with water until 3/4 full and scraps are floating. Add in some bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt and extra herbs. Bring to the boil, hen simmer for 30-60 mins, lid on. Strain.
Keep in fridge for up to a week, or refreeze in portions or in ice cube trays.