By our chef, Natalia.

Making vegetable stock is truly one of the simplest ways to get the most out of your produce. Scraps that are normally fed to the compost can be used to create a rich and nutritious stock that you’ll find useful in practically any dish you prepare!

 *What I’ve found to be the most efficient way of keeping stock on hand is to keep a bag in the freezer of all the skins, peels, stalks you’ve accumulated throughout the week.  Once the bag us bursting, or when you’re in need of stock, simply drop all the contents of the bag in a pot of simmering water and wait for the aroma to fill your house! Try substituting stock in place of water when cooking grains, soaking beans or making soups & salad dressings.

INGREDIENTS:

Everything but the kitchen sink! Well, almost.  Here are just a few examples of ingredients for a tasty stock:  onion and garlic skins, leek tops, fennel fronds, broccoli stalks, the seeds and rinds from winter squash, stems from fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, dill, thyme, rosemary and mint. There are chef’s who even put olive pits in their stock!

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Fill a large soup pot with cold, pure water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 4-6 cups of vegetables, along with a spoonful of whole peppercorns, two whole Bay leaves and a few crushed garlic cloves. Let simmer on very low heat for a half hour to an hour. You will see small bubbles on the surface and very little movement of the vegetables. Be careful not to boil the stock or else it will become bitter.

2.     Taste the stock for flavor- it will be subtle. If you prefer a rich stock, allow to simmer on very low heat for an additional 15 minutes before straining.

3.     When you’re ready to strain the stock, place a colander over a large glass jar. Strain the stock and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator. Stock will last for up to three weeks.