Vegetable Stock

This is my recipe for vegetable stock. I've tried different methods and this works the best for me.

1. Preparation.
As you are going about your regular cooking and eating schedule, instead of throwing various bits of vegetables away, stick them in a ziploc bag or container of some kind. This is the stuff that you cut off of the vegetables with the intention of not using them--the ends of celery and carrots, the stalks of fennel, the leaves and tails of beets, potato skins, leek greens, mushroom stems, onion skin, garlic skin, tops of tomatoes, pulp from making juice, and so forth. Do it with fruit too--like orange peels, the outside of the pineapple, apple cores, whatever. I even put in used teabags. Stick all that stuff into a container and freeze it.

This is not to say that you can use everything that you don't eat. Check if ingredients are potentially poisonous, like rhubarb leaves. Use your best judgment.

It doesn't have to be  only vegetables. Use bones and trimmings from meat to get more body and flavor.

You can also reserve the water used to boil/steam vegetables, which would normally be drained and dumped, to use as a base instead of using fresh water.


2. Making the stock. 

When you've decided to make the stock, pull out the container of scraps. Put the veg scraps in a pot. Then fill it up with water. Put the pot over high heat. Add oil or seasoning if desired.

When the water starts boiling, turn the heat to low. Let it simmer for a while, at least 10 minutes.

The longer you let it simmer, the darker and more flavorful the stock will be. I tend to wait until the vegetables are mushy--but it's OK to simmer it for less time.

When you've decided it's done, turn off the heat and let the pot sit until it's cool enough to handle.

Use a colander over a large bowl to strain the stock. Throw away the vegetable scraps. Pour the stock into jars and store in the fridge. Freeze into ice cubes for more longevity.

3. Using the stock.

Use the stock as a base for soups and gravies, and for cooking rice or other grains. Use as the liquid for essentially any savory recipe.

Carrot & Turnip Farls

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup grated turnip
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat.

Stir together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the grated vegetables until they are well mixed and coated in the flour. Stir the buttermilk in to make a dough.

On a floured surface, quickly knead the dough to make it coherent. Divide into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a circle about 1/2" thick. Cut into quarters. Cook the pieces for 6-8 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Almond Scones

3 cups almond meal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbls honey or maple syrup
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Stir together the almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter as small as it will go, then stir in the honey/maple syrup and eggs, forming a soft, sticky dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form small balls with the dough, then press them into disks on the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Crusty Country Pasties

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
6 Tbls. butter
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp ground mustard seed

Filling:
1/2 cup diced potato
1/2 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped green beans
2 Tbls. oil
1 Tbls. flour
1 Tbls. butter
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Crust: Stir together the flour, salt, pepper, basil, and ground mustard. Cut in the butter until the flour is all moistened, but leave some larger chunks of butter. Stir in the water to make a soft dough. Press the dough together, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill while making the filling.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, sautee the vegetables with the oil for 3 minutes. Mix together the flour, rosemary, fennel, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, push the vegetables to one side, and melt the butter on the other side. When it is melted, stir the flour mixture into the butter, then stir everything together. Add the vegetable stock and keep stirring as a gravy forms. Then remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Divide the crust dough into 4 parts. Roll each section into a thin circle. Get the outline of the circles wet with water or beaten egg. Put 1/2 cup of filling onto each crust piece, and fold the crust over the filling, pinching together the edges to seal it closed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the pasties on without touching each other. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown.