Please do not toss your raw vegetable scraps! This includes onion ends, carrot tops, excess leafy greens, celery leaves, etc. Instead, place these scraps (along with cheese rinds) in a freezer bag and store in your freezer until the bag is full. Once full, dump the scraps into a pot, cover with water and some seasonings and simmer for a few hours. This will make a delicious and very low cost stock that can be used in soups, chilis or risottos all fall and winter long.
This is the recipe that I recommend, but feel free to switch out the vegetables based on what you have on hand. To make, roughly chop 1 large onion (including its skin), 4 stalks of celery with leaves, 3 collard green leaves and stems, 2 carrots and 5 cloves of garlic. Place in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 teaspoon of minced rosemary, ¼ cup of fresh (or frozen) parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, a 3-4 inch piece of cheese rind (if using), 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and 10 cups of water. Simmer for three hours, stirring occasionally. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard spent vegetables.
Store broth in glass mason jars in the refrigerator or freezer. If you are not going to use the broth within 5 days, freeze the broth, making sure to leave at least one inch of headspace in each glass jar. Use this broth in soups, chilis or risottos.
Vegetable Broth
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 stalks of celery with leaves, chopped
- 3 collard green leaves and stems, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
- 10 cups water
Instructions
- Roughly chop vegetables and place in a large stock pot or dutch oven.
- Add herbs, salt, cheese rind, 1 cider vinegar and water and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard spent vegetables. Store broth in glass mason jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze the rest.
- Use this broth in soups, chilis or risottos.
