Pumpkin Stock

I tend to make stock whenever I can, out of many different scraps. Not only is it a great way to add flavor to any recipe, but it creates a use for all of the scraps you create while cooking other dishes. This stock in particular, is one I make in huge batches and hope to have all year long. And it is a wonderful option for vegans and vegetarians in need of a bit more variety than your run-of-the-mill veg stock.

The best part just might be the cooking process, because it fills your home with the smell of roasted vegetables and simmering herbs, reminiscent of Thanksgiving Day.

You can use almost any part or variety of pumpkin/squash for the stock. Is spaghetti squash your latest “noodle” of choice? Go ahead and freeze the skin and seed scraps for later. I have also used pumpkins originally meant for kitchen decoration, just before they go bad.

Stock is simple enough to buy at the grocery store, but for me it is essential to maintaining a low waste kitchen. So, plan a stock day for when your fridge is getting low on ingredients. Which, for me, means that I have carrot, celery and onions stragglers laying around: these are perfect stock conditions. I use this stock in my food all year long, it adds a bit of sweetness to your food. I think you'll find it goes great with all sorts of things, from curries and soups to sauces and pastas.

Servings 3-4 Quarts

Author Kelsey Hebert

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

55 Min

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Pumpkin Stock

This stock gives you the option of a sweeter base for soups and stews. As well as being vegetarian, its focused flavor profile makes it a great option for holiday cooking. I love reducing it and using it as a sauce in pasta. Of course, you can't find this in grocery stores, but it only sits on the stove for 45 minutes, and the aroma it fills your home with, makes it well worth the extra work.

Ingredients

• 3 c squash scraps, or 1-2 lb winter squash (Red Kuri, Kabocha and butternut all work wonderfully) cut into manageable cubes
• 2 large yellow onion, cut in half and each half into quarters
• 3 stalks celery
• 2 carrot
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 head garlic
• 4 sprigs oregano
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs sage
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bunch parsley stems
• 2 bay leaf
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 allspice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Cut celery, carrots, and fennel into large chunks,1 1/2”-2” wide is about right. Turn your garlic head on its side and cut in half; so you have two halves, each with all the little cloves exposed.
3. Toss onion, squash, carrots, garlic halves and fennel in a bowl with a drizzle of avocado oil and season lightly with salt.
4. Spread evenly on a sheet tray fitted with parchment, and roast for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are taking on golden brown edges. (Note: You can skip the roasting process for a lighter, less pronounced flavor in the final product.)
5. Place herbs, spices, celery, and roasted vegetables in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Deglaze your sheet tray with 1/4 c water and pour this into your stock.
6. Cover vegetables by 1” with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a very low simmer. Cook covered for 45 min, checking occasionally to ensure the stock has not come back to a boil.
7. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain stock, divide into manageable containers and freeze what you don’t immediately use. I divide between quart and pint containers so I can pull pints for sauces and quarts for soups and stews.

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