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Zero Waste Recipe: Vegetable Demi-Glace by Karime Lopez

Zero Waste Recipe: Veg-Peel Demi-Glace by Karime Lopez

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.

22 February, 2021
Average: 2.5 (25 votes)

serves for

10

ingredients

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.

Step 01

Trimmings on Tray

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.

Step 02

Place in oven

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.

Step 03

Remove parchment paper

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.

Step 04

de-glazing pan with water

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.

Step 05

Scraps and broth

Pour the de-glazed scraps into a pot, with 1 part trimmings to 2 parts water.

Step 06

Reduce broth by half

Bring the broth up to a boil and slowly reduce by half.

Step 07

Filtering demi-glaze

Sieve the broth to remove the trimmings, pour the liquid back into the pot and reduce by half again.

Step 08

Coating spoon

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.

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