by the handful

Garden Stock

This recipe is as easy as it gets. Instead of throwing those vegetable scraps in the compost, make something useful and delicious out of them. Vegetable stock can be made in any portion you like and has a variety of uses, a soup base, rice, or just to sip on (the best use).  I love to heat up a mug of broth to drink on cold nights. I make large batches of broth when I have a lot of vegetable parts, and freeze some for later use. Unlike a meat based stock that would be covered and cooked for hours, this recipe is cooked much quicker as the volume of liquid reduces to concentrate the flavor.

Garden Stock

carrots 

onion tops

celery

garlic

fresh parsley

bay leaf

salt

The most important ingredient in a vegetable stock is anything from the onion family as this is where much of the flavor will come from. Feel free to use any variety of onion and as much garlic as you wish, 2 onion tops and 4-6 garlic cloves is a good guideline. Whole carrots and celery can be used or just the tops. The steps are simple, roughly chop and add all vegetables in whatever portions you desire to a large stock pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. Add a bay leaf or two and a generous shake of salt. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until water level is reduced by about half.  This should take about an hour. If the broth does not have enough flavor continue to cook down until it does. Strain, and add more salt if needed.  Now you can throw those vegetables in the compost.

other worthy stock additions:                                    

fresh or dried herbs

fresh or dried mushrooms

seaweed

vegetables that do not work well for stock:

broccoli

spinach, kale, other leafy greens