Homemade Vegetable Stock

Stash vegetable scraps (corncobs, carrot or tomato peels, onion/leek/scallion greens, ends of zucchini or yellow squash, mushroom stems, celery roots, broccoli or cauliflower trimmings, fennel bulb stems and fronds, etc.) in a gallon zip-top bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, remove the vegetables and thaw them.

• Preheat oven to 425°

• Scatter the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and season well with kosher salt.

• Roast for 35–40 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. (If time is tight, omit the roasting step, but the stock will be less flavorful.)

• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a stock pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Add fresh herb sprigs, 8–10 whole peppercorns, and a bay leaf. Add a piece of Parmesan rind if you have one in the freezer.

• Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours (3 is even better). Let the stock cool, then strain into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract flavor. Use immediately or freeze in quart zip-top freezer bags.