FOOD SCRAPS: RICHER THAN YOU REALIZE
Stems and peels and, yes, even pickle juice can add surprising flavor to your dishes
Google “pickle juice bread” and brine up a loaf. Keep in mind, however, that it is high in sodium.
Seeds
Just as you roast pumpkin seeds, consider roasting the slippery kernels from their melon and winter squash cousins. Food52 suggests soaking watermelon seeds in salty water, followed by 20 minutes in a 320-degree oven.
I also oven-dry papaya seeds, which go great on salads. They’re a little spicy, and after more than an hour at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, they resemble mild, crumbly peppercorns. Some people blend fresh seeds into salad dressings (though, full disclosure: the raw texture reminds me of large, unyielding raspberry seeds).
But before experimenting with a new seed, or any “scrappy” plant part, research any potentially dangerous chemicals. A couple of apple seeds, for example, are unlikely to harm you, but they contain small amounts of a compound that can become cyanide once ingested.
Fruit peels and rinds
All it takes is water, sugar and a stove to convert citrus peels to candy or marmalade. Freeze zested peels for future use. Certain cakes and entrees require peel from multiple oranges.
While you’re roasting watermelon seeds, how about pickling the rinds? They can enhance a sandwich or a summery drink.
Other fruit scraps
It’s nearly impossible to get all the fruity flesh off the pits in mangoes and certain stone fruits, but no matter! Stash them in the freezer with other fruit scraps (pineapple cores, strawberry tops, lime husks). Once you have, say, a full gallon-size bag, dump them in a pot with some water. Boil, simmer, add sugar and choose your own adventure:
If lots of fruity pulp has loosened (scraping can help), remove the woody, fibrous parts and, with perhaps a bit more heat and a dash of cornstarch, you’re on your way to jam.
If the fruity stew is thinner, strain out the solids and enjoy a syrup for pancakes, cocktails or ice cream. Or, pour in vinegar for a shrub, the mix-in for certain cocktails. Mix with seltzer for a fancy, waste-fighting soda. A splash of your favorite booze makes for a more adult experience.
Stems
Dice delicate herb stems for extra crunch in salads. Blanch, boil or chop tougher stems, such as kale or chard, for veggie bulk in your next meal. Alternatively, vinegar, salt and sugar can net you some nice and stalky refrigerator pickles.
I accumulate edible stems (from kale, mint, cilantro, chard, etc.) in the freezer and later pulverize them with roasted nuts, aged Italian cheese and olive oil for pesto. You can also blend stems with herbs, beans and oil (maybe oil salvaged from a can of smoky sardines?) for a nice dip, sauce or spread. Even the hard hearts and stalks of cauliflower can be boiled and then blended into whatever inspires you. The Internet offers several variations on chard stalk hummus, which skip chickpeas and use tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil for a fluffy dip.
Woody stems — from rosemary, for example — aren’t good eating, but they can be flavorful skewers or add complexity to broths or syrups. At your next socially distant patio gathering, garnish your lemonade with a rustic rosemary stem.
Bean water
Aquafaba, essentially the liquid left over from draining a can of chickpeas, is kind of magical. It whips up like egg whites, making vegan mousse, meringue and mayonnaise as accessible as an appointment with your hand mixer. However, mastering the liquid can be a little tricky, which is perhaps why the Facebook group Aquafaba (Vegan Meringue — Hits and Misses!) boasts nearly 100,000 members. When baking, about 3 tablespoons of the stuff is equivalent to a whole egg.
I use the water from any can of beans to thicken soups and sauces; I rarely bother draining it from cans of black beans.
Vegetable peels and scraps
Do you even need to peel it? Carrots and potatoes can just get scrubbed, and you can even leave the peel on beets, even after roasting. If you do want to take it off, how about roasted potato peels? A twist of cucumber peel plunked into a drink?
If you can’t use them immediately, stow clean peels and scraps such as pepper centers, corncobs, onion trim and beyond in the freezer until you have a full bag. Dump your iced veggie into a pot, cover with water, boil and simmer at least 30 minutes and you’ll have broth that my husband affectionately calls “garbage tea.” You can follow the whims of your scraps, or be deliberate; a broth made with mostly corncobs differs from one including trim from broccoli, cabbage and their relatives, whose flavors may overwhelm.
Add bones, too! Save bones with veggie scraps and they’ll enhance broth. Even shrimp shells contribute a little something. In pre-pandemic days, my husband and I would often pack bones with our restaurant leftovers. They’re valuable!
Any packing liquid
Aquafaba and pickle juice are pretty special, but virtually any liquid our food is packed in can be put to work. If your recipe calls for a small amount of broth and you have only the liquid from a can of corn, go for it (I often do this for masa harina recipes). I routinely pour the water from canned vegetables into my freezer bags of broth-making scraps. I drizzle sardine oil over salads, and a friend does the same with oil from jars of sun-dried tomatoes.