I like to think that I'm doing my part for the generations to come...whether it's recycling, repurposing, whatever, we ALL should do our part. And utilizing every bit of an ingredient is part of it and there's so much most of us deem as trash when with a bit of education we can get more out of everything. Let's start with the basics...vegetable stock.
To Begin:
Hope you have been saving the peelings, leaves, root ends, stems, stalks, and cores (including apple) of all the lovely fresh veggies you have been receiving in your CSA box. We use everything but Nightshade - peppers, tomato, eggplant parts, but no citrus. Plus a bit wary of too many powerful herb stalks and branches (rosemary) that might overpower, but we do incorporate some.
If you use lots of veggies daily and think you could fill a 32+ oz container within a week or 10 days keep these scraps in a container in the fridge. If you think this may take a while to fill, all sources suggest using (and reusing) a Ziploc® in your freezer.
Once you have a full bag, dump it into a pot big enough for the scraps and cover it with water. Add a bay leaf or two and you can crush a few black peppercorns too - but that’s optional. Salt does help to draw some of the moisture out of some of the veggie scraps, but a salt-free stock is a good base! You will be seasoning whichever soup you choose to make from your Scrappy Stock.
Simmer on medium-low, avoiding a boil, until you’ve reduced the water by at least 1/3. In a perfect (ha!) world you would allow this stock to sit overnight to continue steeping. Allow the stock to cool and then refrigerate covered. The next day you will get a workout, squeezing the veggie scraps and ends over a strainer into a container and then strain the remaining stock….now the world is your palette.
Your culinary experience starts in your kitchen!