Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Humble Veggie Stock


Wanna know the secret between good homemade soup and AWESOME homemade soup?

What I learned in cooking classes from Chef Ramis at True North Health Center was... to make an excellent soup; you must start from a homemade stock base. This stock is partially made or completely made from the “trash” that you would ordinarily compost. Veggies like corn cobs, Tops of tomato, onion, beet, & celery; & tops and bottoms from leeks; & broc stems, white cabbage core, & cauliflower.

What you don’t want to use are potato skins, carrots peels, artichoke, eggplant, turnip greens, or kale. These will either taste very bitter or give your stock a very strange-weird color.

This stock is made with no oil and NO sodium.... NO need! It is filled with amazing flavorfull spices!!

As always.... I DO Organic as much as possible!

Veggie stock is so great to have in the freezer because you can use it for anything. From cooking your rice or quinoa or beans to adding it to homemade salad dressings to sautéing veggies or stirring in your fry, it is truly the most versatile staple in your cooking repertoire. Chef Ramis showed us an amazing trick to caramelizing onions using only stock and WITHOUT using oil.

You can freeze it in ice cube trays and then when you need just a couple of tablespoons... there you have it ready.

And... oh wow! it does make the house smell fabulous when it simmers

Here’s the recipe for making a great stock, from there ....endless possibilities!

BASIC VEGGIE STOCK
this makes about 4 to 5 pints

In a pot add:

(1) corn cob
(6) tomato tops
(4) sprigs of thyme
(1) celery top
(1) onion top several green onion tops
(1) leek bottom

Fill the pot with filtered water ½ inch above the veggies. Place on HIGH heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to slow rolling simmer for 30 minutes, only. No more.

While simmering add a couple of bay leaves, lots of peppercorns, and TONS of garlic.

After 30 minutes, let cool, strain and freeze.






And, oh yea, be sure and compost those cooked veggies!


Until Next Time.....

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL!!




1 comment:

  1. Great for soups! For the lazy cooks way to veggie broth... I just save the leftover water from steaming veggies. It's tasty and has is full of nutrients. Sometimes I save it for soup, but usually, I boil my rice in it.

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