Saturday, November 24, 2012

What do you mean ChefRoy, I CAN"T keep a trash bag in my freezer!

It's not a real trash bag.  It is just a bag that you keep in your freezer, and you keep, well, you keep trash in it.  Everybody should have one.  Anyone that likes to cook, and of course all those that need to learn to cook to avoid the poisons and toxins so prevalent in processed foods; need to get themselves a trash bag in their freezer.  Have you ever wondered why the foods in better restaurants tastes soooooooo much better than stuff in cheap restaurants or out of boxes?  Well the answer is simple, trash. 

In finer restaurant all around the world, chefs, sous chefs, line preps, and commies take fresh produce, meats, poultry, and seafoods and then take all those things and prepare real food.  And in that process, a lot of stuff is set aside as not being usable.  Tops of celery, ends and skins of carrots, onion skins, bones, shrimp shells, all that stuff usually gets tossed into the trash in homes all across America and then goes off to landfills to make methane gas.  At least in progressive communities.  In a few homes, the stuff goes into compost.  In my house, it goes into a trash bag in the freezer for use in making the incredible flavor enhancer used in finer restaurants everywhere, stock. 

Stock is one of the simplest things to make in the kitchen, yet the impact on the flavor of just about anything that you cook yourself in your kitchen is dramatic.  I think anyone that has read my blog or my cooking website, www.AustinHealthyCooking.com  knows that I love brown rice.  When you make your rice, beans, pasta, sauces, gravies, and most anything that starts with a liquid, when you use stock, you are adding huge amounts of flavor.  And right now, is the time to think about it since you all have that turkey carcass sitting in the fridge.  Peel off most of the meat, and then crack it into pieces and throw it into a big stockpot.  Add water to cover, then throw in stuff from your trash bag.  Carrots, celery tops, onion skins, etc.  Then add 20 or so peppercorns, 5 bay leaves, a sprig of rosemary and any pieces and stems of fresh herbs you have used.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let it stew away for a couple of hours.  Strain it all and when cool, put it into plastic bottles and freeze some, and use some right away for making stuff like Turkey Tetrazzinni, or Turkey Pot Pies, or Green Turkey Chili stuffed into Turkey stock flavored Tamales.  Or use your imagination.  Hey, you gots a brain, use it or lose it!

So, to repeat, yes, I think you should keep a trash bag in your freezer.  Oh, check out some of the other recipes on the cooking site.  Hope y'all had a great holiday.

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