Parmesan Broth

We love to make flavorful broths and stocks. We usually save all of our meat bones (chicken, steaks, the whole Thanksgiving turkey!), keep them in the freezer until we have a bunch, and then periodically make a big batch of stock. We keep it in mason jar and use it for the next few weeks to make different soups usually. One of Selim’s favorite tricks is to throw in a Parmesan rind as the stock is cooking. It adds a delicious umami depth of flavor to the stock. Well tonight, after perusing one of Smitten Kitchen’s soup recipes, he decided to just make a Parmesan broth. And it was amazing! This is so flavorful just on it’s own (we ate it plain + a crusty bread to dip in it), but would be a great place to start a soup or sauce! [Side note: the pot you cook in will be all gross and nearly impossible to clean from the residual melty cheesy bits, but it was worth it! Any suggestions??]
Parmesan Broth

(Inspired by Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:

• 20 cups water
• 2 lb Parmesan rinds
• 1/2 of a large onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 shallots, cut into 1 in chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring the water, with all of the ingredients except the salt in it, to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 hours.
2. Strain through cheesecloth to remove all of the aromatics and debris. Taste and add salt as needed.
3. Use as a base for anything you want!