Studies show that as much as 40% of the food produced in the US is never eaten. As Earth Day brings to mind ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle, here’s a recipe for using those extra vegetables languishing in your refrigerator to make homemade stock. You can customize this basic recipe by adding zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, and corn in the summer and celery root, parsley, dried sage, and mushrooms in the winter.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large onions, quartered
- 2 large carrots, quartered, tops reserved
- 8 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 large leeks, washed, trimmed, tough outer leaves removed
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 1 large sprig of rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 whole clove
- 3 quarts water
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl toss the oil with onions, carrots, garlic, leeks and arrange them in a roasting pan.
Place pan in oven and roast, stirring once, for 45 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
In a large saucepan or stockpot combine the roasted vegetables with carrot tops, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, peppercorns, clove, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour or until the broth is reduced to about 8 cups. Strain.
Additions for Summer Stock: summer squash, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, bell peppers, corn cobs, marjoram, oregano, basil.
Instead of first roasting vegetables, saute them over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown. Complete recipe as above.
Recipe from Food Network
