Soups & stews
Veg peelings stock powder
This is an easy recipe to make your own vegetable stock powder using peelings and any veg and herbs that need using up. It’s really adaptable - feel free to mix it up and experiment each time with whatever peelings, vegetables and herbs you have available.
Collect veg peelings in a bag in your freezer for a good few weeks so you have enough to make a bigger batch of stock that will last longer.
Cook's notes
Vegetables that work well include: onions, garlic, carrots, celery, leeks, parsnip, potato, swede, tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, kale, mushrooms. You can include herbs too, try parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, chives and chervil.
Ingredients
- vegetables and/or veg peelings
- fresh herbs
- sea salt or table salt
Method
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Step 1
Wash and dry your selection of vegetables, peelings and herbs. Roughly chop them all, then transfer to a food processor and blend until you’ve got a very finely chopped consistency, almost like a paste. You may need to do this stage in batches if you're making a large amount.
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Step 2
Tip the vegetable mix into a large bowl and weigh it. Next, add 20% of the weight in salt, i.e for 500g of veg, add 100g salt. This may seem like a lot, but you will only be adding a teaspoon or so to each meal, and it works as a natural preservative. Mix thoroughly.
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Step 3
Add the salt and vegetable mix to a large saucepan and cook slowly on a low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the veg is soft and cooked through. If a lot of moisture comes out from the veg during the cooking process, wait until it is all absorbed and cooked off.
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Step 4
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Spoon the mixture onto the paper and spread it out evenly. Leave in a dehydrator overnight or slowly dry it out in the oven at 150°C for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until it’s completely dry and crisp.
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Step 5
Allow to cool completely, then transfer to your food processor and blend again until you have a fine powder. Store your stock powder in a clean, airtight jar for up to 3 months. Use 1-2 teaspoons to 1 litre of boiling water for a flavourful stock.