Michelle Palmer: Springtime is vegetable time (recipe)

Bathing suit time is right around the corner! It is time to lighten your winter foods to spring foods. I just love how easy this is to make and very cost effective.

Carrots, onions, celery, garlic, parsley are always available at the farmers market or plant some seeds and grow your own or pick them up from the grocery store.

We have one of the largest onions producers right here in Yerington. Peri & Sons Farms grows white, yellow, red, and sweet onions, organic too! Glorious Garlic Farm is growing garlic in Washoe Valley.

Onion and garlic belong to the allium vegetable family, which also includes leek, scallion, shallot and chive. Alliums have been used for their medicinal and culinary properties for more than 4,000 years. But these vegetables do more than just make your food tastier. Eating them has been linked to numerous health benefits, including lowered cholesterol, blood pressure and cancer risk.

The two top immune builders onion and garlic share many properties, such as containing flavonoids and polyphenols, which are plant compounds with antioxidant properties that could help you ward off degenerative disease.

The stock can be used as a base for a light soup or drink it heated or on the rocks cold. It is so fresh and light!

Homemade Vegetable Stock
1 large onion, peeled and large 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, peeled and large 1-inch dice
2 celery stalks, large 1-inch dice
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 sprigs parsley
½ cup green lentils, rinsed
8-10 black peppercorns
2 quarts fresh spring water

Directions

1. Preheat over high heat; 4 quart stock pot (Stainless Steel works best; avoid nonstick pot because it is hard to caramelize vegetables in them)

2. Add prepared onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, peppercorns and lentils. You should hear a sizzle!

3. Sauté 5- 10 minutes; stirring constantly to avoid burning and sticking to the pan.

4. Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Strain the stock and use or chill in glass jar. Stock will hold for 1 week or freeze for a few months, freeze as cubes to sauté with too!

Michelle Palmer has been cooking in the area for more than three decades. She is owner of Absolutely Michelle’s Chef-for-Hire, Inventor/Consultant, and culinary mentor.