Veggie Scrap Broth

None of us wants to see our CSA share go to waste, but every once and awhile, the vegetables might get ahead of us. Carrot tops, the escaped garlic scape, onion skins, some wilted parsley, potato peels, the leek greens you couldn’t quite use up–none of them have to go to waste. Instead of tossing them, use them to make homemade broth.

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I always keep a gallon-sized ziplock in my freezer, filling it with roots, stems, tops, peelings, and stragglers as I cook. Wilted or dried-up bits are fair game, but don’t include anything that has already started to spoil or rot. Things from the carrot family and garlic/onion family make particularly tasty broths. To make chicken broth, I’ll save the bones from a roasted chicken or two and add them to the vegetable scraps.

When the ziplock is full (you’ll find this doesn’t take long with a CSA share), I simply dump the contents into my crock-pot, fill it with water and a sprinkle of salt, and set it to low while I go to work or bed. When I return, the scraps and water have transformed themselves into a rich broth. The same could be done in a large pot set to simmer, but don’t leave it unattended like you would a crock pot. Separate the broth from solids with a fine mesh strainer. Freeze broth in clearly labeled containers and store for up to 6 months.