Quick & Easy & Nearly Free: Veggie Stock

Let's say your going to make these Black Bean Burgers. So, you gather this:

And chop it into this:

But wait! You're also left with this:

So the question is... what do you do with these little leftovers? You could throw them away (shame on you), feed the carrots to your dog (guilty as charged), compost them (getting warmer), or...

You can add them to your stock starter! I keep a ziplock bag in the freezer for just such scraps and when it's full or when I need broth, I don't have to use up perfectly good carrots, onions, and celery! I love this trick because it's the perfect combination of multitasking, efficiency, and saving money! And I use broth for everything - soups of course, sauces like BBQ or Teriyaki, gumbo, risotto, chili, stuffing, you name it! Just about anything that calls for water is made even better when you substitute this stock!  I make a big batch, use what I need and freeze the rest. (Sometimes I even use ice cube trays to make just the right sized servings for small portions.)

So, I said nearly free! I do add a few things to my stock: salt, white pepper, and herbs from the garden (usually sage and oregano, but just about anything works).

Here I've got kale and mushroom stems, a celery end, onion and carrot peelings, and even the core from a head of iceberg! Let it simmer for a few hours, strain and voila! You've just made stock. The possibilities are limitless! Oh, and now you can compost those veggies. And they'll turn faster because they were cooked!

Happy Stock Making!