My war on waste!!!

7_week_wonder

Sorry I've been MIA, poor DB was backwards and forwards to the hospital over the weekend until they finally diagnosed a DVT:( It was a bit of a shock but at least they found it and it is under control now.

This afternoon I finally got round to trying to make veg waste stock with peelings, onion skins, green bits of leeks etc. I put them into a saucepan with water and simmered gently for over an hour. It smelled great (mainly of leeks) but when I tasted it it was really bitter, not rank or anything, just incredibly bitter. I've no idea why, but DB and I agreed it was unusable so alas it's gone down the sink. On the plus side it's nothing actually wasted - the veg bits would have been composted anyway - but I'm at a loss why it was so bitter. Anybody got any suggestions cos I'd love to try again.

katkin

7_week_wonder wrote: »

Sorry I've been MIA, poor DB was backwards and forwards to the hospital over the weekend until they finally diagnosed a DVT:( It was a bit of a shock but at least they found it and it is under control now.

This afternoon I finally got round to trying to make veg waste stock with peelings, onion skins, green bits of leeks etc. I put them into a saucepan with water and simmered gently for over an hour. It smelled great (mainly of leeks) but when I tasted it it was really bitter, not rank or anything, just incredibly bitter. I've no idea why, but DB and I agreed it was unusable so alas it's gone down the sink. On the plus side it's nothing actually wasted - the veg bits would have been composted anyway - but I'm at a loss why it was so bitter. Anybody got any suggestions cos I'd love to try again.

That's a pity it didn't work out but nothing lost really. I hoard sweet veg peelings to add to, carrots, parsnips and the like to add to the "oniony" group. A few past it squishy tomatoes help too and give colour. If it's still a bit bitter try adding a little sugar.

Best of luck x

GreyQueen

7ww, were you using the papery onion skins? If so, I think that's where your problem arose, as they're not edible insofar as I know. Can't think of any other of the listed ingredients as being the cause of the problem.

You can make a natural dye out of them, though, if that's something you're into.

I found one of my stored red onions from last year's harvest had gone all sprouty and soft in the lottie shed. The bulb isn't edible at this point but there's nothing wrong with the sprouted stems, you can just snip them off and use them in salad or, as I did, in an omelette. Proper tasty.

Rainy-Days

I was watching James Martin's cookery show on BBC1 a short time ago now and he just topped and tailed off his carrots, gave them a good wash and put them into boiling water to cook. He did not peel them or even chop them up at all just put them whole into this pan of boiling water with a big lump of butter into the water.

Got to try this one I bet the buttery water going into the carrots is amazing!

7_week_wonder

GreyQueen wrote: »

7ww, were you using the papery onion skins? If so, I think that's where your problem arose, as they're not edible insofar as I know. Can't think of any other of the listed ingredients as being the cause of the problem.

By George I think she's got it! Thanks GQ, in amongst everything else were plenty of lovingly salvaged brown onion skins. You're right, the stock was a beautiful brown colour but alas it would have rendered tonight's planned risotto pretty inedible.

It's not a major disaster in the grand scheme of things - I'll definitely give it another go now I think I know what the culprit was.

meritaten

Rainy-Days wrote: »

I was watching James Martin's cookery show on BBC1 a short time ago now and he just topped and tailed off his carrots, gave them a good wash and put them into boiling water to cook. He did not peel them or even chop them up at all just put them whole into this pan of boiling water with a big lump of butter into the water.

Got to try this one I bet the buttery water going into the carrots is amazing!

don't forget the salt and sugar - even just adding a pinch of sugar to your carrots makes a difference.

EstherH

Hi, I usually lurk so I hope you don't mind me butting in.
After reading on here about peelings stock, I did the same with onion skins etc., with the same bitter result. So far I've frozen it and added more veggie water from cooking carrots when the waters cooled down and put it back in the freezer. I intended taking it out at some point when I am ready to risk using it in the hope that with the added carrot water it will be edible in a soup. Do you think this might work?
Esther xx

meritaten

I am not sure about the onion skins being the only cause of 'bitter stock' I used to make a very colourless 'broth' for my mum, and always included a few onion skins for the colour it gave. maybe it was in the quantity that was used? or the really dark green of outside leaves of leeks was bitter too? but carrots add sweetness and so do parsnips. I can only suggest that if your stock is bitter then perhaps adding some honey could counteract the bitterness?

GreyQueen

I don't know, EstherH, but as you're set to test this, it would be great if you could report back.

7_week_wonder

meritaten wrote: »

I am not sure about the onion skins being the only cause of 'bitter stock' I used to make a very colourless 'broth' for my mum, and always included a few onion skins for the colour it gave. maybe it was in the quantity that was used? or the really dark green of outside leaves of leeks was bitter too? but carrots add sweetness and so do parsnips. I can only suggest that if your stock is bitter then perhaps adding some honey could counteract the bitterness?

The bitterness really reminded me of the taste of turnip leaves but much, much stronger. Thinking back I think the major component of the left-overs was leek tops but there were definitely other things there. I have to admit in a fit of fed-up-ness I put the stock down the sink However, reviewing things in the fresh light of a very scrum my supper of blue cheese and mushroom risotto maybe I should have added some honey. I'll just have to give it another go