Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, large, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 8 cups water
- frozen vegetable scraps, 2-3 cups is a good amount
- 2 bay leaves
- parsley, a few sprigs
- thyme, a few sprigs
- salt and pepper, to taste, omit if you are making stock
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the water, frozen vegetable scraps, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.
- Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large heat-proof bowl or pot; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper to taste (skip this if you're making stock).
- Once the broth has cooled, transfer it to airtight plastic containers or freezer bags and store it in the freezer. (I usually freeze it in 2-cup portions so I don't have to thaw all the broth every time I use it.)
Notes
Scraps to use: onion and shallot skins and ends, leek and green onion tops, carrot peels, celery leaves and ends, mushroom stems, and herb stems. Keep a bag in the freezer and add to it until you have 2 to 3 cups.
Scraps to skip: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables (they turn the broth bitter), beet peels (they turn it pink), and starchy potato peels. Never use anything moldy or spoiled.
Storage: refrigerate for up to 4 to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 55mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5188IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 41mg
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