Vegetable Scrap Bouillon
This recipe is based on seasonal vegetables and herbs pureed into a concentrated paste and preserved in salt. Use one or two teaspoons dissolved in 500 ml of boiling water. It can be used as a replacement to stock or stock cubes. It's great added to stews, soups, risotto’s or any meals than need a boost of flavour.
Ingredients:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Shallots
- Carrots and tops
- Parsley stems and leaves
- Celery
- Coriander stems and leaves
- Fennel and fronds
- Thyme
- Celeriac
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Preserved lemons
- Shallots
- Salt
Method:
Using a large knife, chop all ingredients into medium sized chunks. In batches if necessary, add the ingredients to the food processor with the salt.
The amount of salt you should use will depend on the amount of vegetables you have. The ratio to follow is 1 kilo of vegetables to 250g salt. This recipe yields 4 x 300ml jars so if you only want 1 jar, just make sure you follow the 4:1 ratio.
Process into a thick paste. Pack the paste into the cooled sterilised jars*. You want to avoid the paste touching the inside of the lid as the salt can cause the lid to rust. Remove air bubbles with a butter knife or chopstick by pressing the paste to the other side of the jar and seal tightly.
These are just suggestions of ingredients you can use, though you can use whatever scraps you have on hand. Just remember to go easy on carrots and don't add any starchy ingredients like potato skins or cabbages.