Vegetable scraps can leave you clueless on what to do with them. The truth is they make a great stock—not only that, but they also save you a ton of money from buying stock cubes. How about that!
Before you say how much flavor can a vegetable stock have, hold on that thought. Making vegetable stock is a lot faster compared to beef or chicken stock, but that doesn’t make it any less flavorful.
What we have here is a plan to make your own vegetable stock. Trust me, it’s going to be good. The great thing about it is you are not wasting anything; it is about combining those flavors from leftovers to create something comforting. So, get whatever vegetables scraps that you have; could be your onions, garlic, bell peppers, carrots, celeries, herb stems, you name it. You are going to save those scraps from the vegetables and then, store them in a freezer bag. Sounds simple enough, right?
You can keep them in the fridge until you feel like using them. See, when you have got a bag full of these incredible ingredients in it, the next step is to really just bring out their flavors. Put them right into a pot, cover everything with water, I usually like to add a little bit of salt here too myself but it’s your choice. You can also add in some aromatics if you wish like some coriander seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, or black peppercorns—it’s all up to your personal preference. These aromatics are bundled up in a sachet, and that also goes into the pot.
Now here’s a bit of a knowledge for you, that bundled up aromatics and herb mixture is called Bouquet Garni, that’s French for “garnished bouquet”. It really is convenient to have your own classic herb mixture that you can use in preparing stocks, soups, casseroles, meats, and vegetables. Do remember to secure that sachet with a twine to keep the herbs enclosed, so they don’t scatter about in your stock.
Go ahead and cover the lid leaving a little bit of on edge and bring everything to a simmer. Once it starts smelling good, you will know that it’s ready and calling you out to give it a taste. So, do give it a taste and adjust it when you need to. You’re pretty much done then. Very simple, very straightforward, and it’s just incredibly versatile—it’s such a great thing to have around to add in your rice or gravy. It can also be turned into a soup that can be enjoyed on its own. Delightful.
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