Vegetable trimmings: 500 g
Water: 1 L
Olive oil: To taste
Salt: To taste
Do you usually throw away your vegetable trimmings? Try this easy recipe to turn them into a really intense and tasty demi-glace instead.
Top tip: Vegetable trimmings can be stored in a bag in the freezer until you have enough to roast and turn into a rich demi-glace. You can use onion skins, carrot trimmings, asparagus stems or any waste vegetable trimmings you might have.
Once made, the demi-glace can be stored in batches in the freezer, even in ice cube trays, ready to add extra depth to other dishes, like Lopez's vegetarian croquettes made with leftover cooked vegetables.
Place vegetable trimmings (can be used from frozen), and any leftover herbs, in a roasting tray lined with parchment paper, and season with olive oil and salt.
Place the tray of trimmings in a pre-heated oven at 170°C and stir every 15 minutes until the trimmings are golden brown.
Top tip: Don't overcook the trimmings, the golden-brown colour ensures all the best and biggest flavours are stored ready for the next step.
When the trimmings are golden-brown, take the tray out of the oven and remove the parchment paper before placing the tray back in the oven for another 5 mins.
Remove the tray from oven and start de-glaze the pan with water.
This is where the richness and umami are captured from the scraps.
Pour the de-glazed scraps into a pot, with 1 part trimmings to 2 parts water.
Bring the broth up to a boil and slowly reduce by half.
Sieve the broth to remove the trimmings, pour the liquid back into the pot and reduce by half again.
The demi-glace is ready when the mixture thickens and starts sticking to the spoon with the texture of molasses.
Cool and store in batches in the freezer for use in future dishes, like vegetable croquettes.
Chef Karime Lopez from Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence shares her recipe to turn vegetable trimmings into a rich umami-packed demi-glace.
The recipe forms part of Why Waste? with chef Massimo Bottura, an exclusive series by Fine Dining Lovers dedicated to turning waste food into delicious dishes.
