broth

Image 6 Comments March 19, 2016 Sammy and Sufi

We are constantly trying to find new ways to recycle and reduce waste so when I attended a food demonstration at the healthcare system where I work, I was super excited when the cook revealed her secret for making use of unwanted vegetable scraps. Instead of throwing away the peels, ends, and cores of vegetables, she tossed them into a freezer bag until she had a nice collection and then threw them into a pot of boiling water to make vegetable broth. Since then, I have made this practice a habit and I have never needed to buy vegetable stock. All this requires of you is to be mindful during meal prep. Set aside any vegetable scraps you would normally throw away and store them in the freezer until you have a large collection. Once you’ve filled a bag or jar to the brim (over the course of however long it takes), toss the contents of the bag into a slow cooker or stock pot with water and the result will be a beautiful golden broth every single time. This broth is not only simple to make but it packs a ton of flavor, making it the perfect vegetarian substitute for chicken stock. You can use this broth to make soups, stews, rice, or even as a more flavorful substitute for water in your favorite recipe. Nutrient-rich, flavorful food, more savings, less waste. I think we can all agree this is a win-win-win!

Ingredients
1 quart freezer-bag or jar worth of clean frozen vegetable scraps (peppers, onions, garlic, squash, carrots, celery, etc..)
12 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
Sea salt (to taste)
2 Bay leaves

Note: Do not put any moldy, rotting, or bad vegetable scraps in your broth scrap bag. Before I am ready to make my broth, I also do a rundown of the fridge and toss in any parsley that is near expiration.

Directions
Place all your ingredients in a slow cooker, turn on high, and let it simmer for 6 hours while you do other awesome, productive things (Yay!). If you’re using a stock pot on the stove, I would let it boil for two hours covered on low. Once the broth is done and has cooled, strain it into a larger bowl or pitcher and distribute evenly among your freezer storage of choice: glass jars or freezer bags. Then, when you’re ready to cook, you’ll have delicious homemade broth ready at hand.

What are the ways you try to reduce waste in your homes? We would love to hear from you! And as always, if you liked this post please follow us and share!

Image 10 Comments March 16, 2016 Sammy and Sufi

If you live in the Midwest, you know that springtime isn’t all sunshine and butterflies. We have plenty of gray days that can feel like winter and sometimes all we want to do is curl up in a blanket with a hearty bowl of something and pray that 70 degree weather is right around the corner. This recipe is perfect for just those days. It’s personally one of my favorite Lebanese stews (or yakhnis) growing up and it’s super easy to make. However, this isn’t your average beef and potato stew. What makes this stew especially delicious is the flavor profile offered by a paste of fresh garlic and cilantro. This base, which is a feature of most Lebanese stews, makes for a uniquely savory broth that you will just have to try to understand. So if you’re looking to make a stew but want to try something new (ha! I rhymed!) this will not disappoint!

Lebanese Beef and Potato Stew

Time: 60 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
1.5 pounds of beef stew cubes
1 head of garlic
1 bunch of cilantro (plus some for garnishing)
3 pounds of potatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Lemon juice (1 large lemon)
8 cups of water
Vegetable oil

Note: My recipes serve at least 4 people. While we are only 2 and a baby, I make enough of a meal to last a few days. I cannot stress how convenient it is to have a home-cooked meal without having to prep everyday when you’re juggling a million other things.

Directions:

In a stock pot, bring your 8 cups of water to boil. In the meantime, make your garlic-cilantro paste by pulsing the cilantro and peeled garlic head (8-12 cloves) in a food processor. You will use this paste to flavor 3 different components of the stew:the meat, the broth, and the potatoes.
Drizzle a bit of vegetable oil in a large skillet and add in 1/3 of your garlic-cilantro paste. Sauté for 1 minute until you smell the aroma of the cilantro and garlic. Be careful not to burn the paste.
To the sautéed garlic-cilantro paste, add in your beef cubes, some salt and pepper to taste, and let brown on all sides.
By now, your water should be boiling. Toss your browned and flavored beef cubes with another 1/3 the garlic-cilantro paste into the stock pot and allow to simmer on low for 2 hours or until your meat is very tender and the broth is flavorful.
In the meantime, peel, rinse and cube your potatoes.
Repeat step 2 with the remainder of the paste this time adding your cubed potatoes and browning them on all sides but not fully cooking them. Now toss the herbed potatoes into the finished broth and stir well.
Mix in your tomato paste, lemon juice, and any salt and pepper then cover and cook on medium heat until the potatoes are nice and tender. I do this immediately after I add the potatoes in so that I’m not stirring and mushing the potatoes once they are cooked.
Once your potatoes are fully cooked, ladle a generous serving of meat, potato and hearty broth into a bowl, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with a side of buttery rice, lemon wedges, and crunchy radishes.

Note: I grew up learning to make this stew by deep-frying the potato cubes and then sautéing them with garlic and cilantro. My dad will tell you that if it’s not made this way, it’s not authentic. And while it is super tasty made that way, the stew is just as tasty without frying. Whether you decide to bake, deep-fry, or sauté your potatoes, just make sure to add them in near the end when your meat is tender and your broth is richly flavored. If you add them in too early, they will turn to mush and you don’t want that to happen. Trust me.