This past weekend, I made some vegan pho (recipe to come) and didn't have enough homemade veggie broth so I bought a carton from the store. It was then I realized how disgusting store bought veggie broth is. While it was sufficient for my recipe, it made me appreciate my homemade version so much more! The best part about it is that you don't have to buy anything to make it! Simply use the kitchen scraps you already produce.
Anytime you prepare vegetables, save all of the tops, peels, and bottoms in a plastic bag and pop in the freezer. Once you have about a gallon full of various scraps, empty into a stock pot and cover with water. Bring this to a boil and then reduce to low heat simmering for a few hours. Once the broth smells fragrant and is a nice yellow, remove from heat. Allow to cool and use a fine mesh strainer to remove all veggie scraps. Pour into jars to freeze or store in the fridge and use within a week.
A few things to keep in mind-
1. Try to use a variety of vegetables. If you only use potato skins, your broth will only taste like potatoes.
2. Stay away from bitter items like cabbage, cruciferous and root veggies.
3. Keep the onion and garlic scraps to a minimum as they are very potent.
4. Be sure to wash the veggies! You don't want dirty broth!
This is one of those recipes that I use over and over again. I don't know how I ever lived without it, in fact. It's great for soup bases, adding to pasta sauce or even to cook beans in!
Lots of Love,
Anne
