From the page: Garlic peel has power
Idea 1
Golden homemade broth
Broths from scraps are an old kitchen tradition: cooks have always used peels, stems and trimmings to extract flavor. It works because a good share of the aromatic compounds in garlic (and other vegetables) is concentrated in the peel — long simmering in hot water releases those flavors into the liquid.
What you need
- Very clean garlic peels (accumulate them in the freezer until you fill a jar)
- Stems and ends of whatever vegetables you have around (scallion, carrot, celery)
- Enough water to cover everything
- 1 bay leaf and black peppercorns (optional)
- Salt to taste
- A large pot and a strainer
How to make it
-
1
Wash the garlic peels and vegetable trimmings well under running water, because they go straight into the broth and any dirt would show up in the flavor.
-
2
Put everything in the pot and cover with water — the garlic doesn't need to be drowned, just covered, so the broth doesn't come out too thin.
-
3
Add the bay leaf and pepper, bring to a low heat and let it simmer gently for 40 minutes: mild heat extracts flavor without bitterness.
-
4
Strain through the sieve, pressing the solids well with a spoon, to squeeze out every last drop of flavor.
-
5
Taste and adjust the salt; simmer a few more minutes if you want a more concentrated broth.
Finishing touches
Pour into ice cube trays and freeze — each cube is a ready dose of flavor for rice, sauces and soups. The cooked solids can still go into a vegetable cake or a farofa.
This is one of the ideas from the full page — see all the possibilities.
This page feeds the collective knowledge 🌱 — every discovery makes the next answer better.