I’ve been a fan of Zingerman’s Online Mail-Order Shop for Food Lovers since I met Ari Weinzweig, one of its founders, in Italy many years ago. I’ve sent treasures from its catalogue to family and friends (and currently have a trove of its superb Portuguese sardines in my pantry). It is one of the most reliable sources of great olive oils I know.

In the new catalogue, I was delighted to read Parm Bones: How to Raise Flavor From Foods You Might Throw Awayan editorial-after-my-own-heart by Ari’s partner, Mo Frechette. Mo outlines essential tricks traditional, i.e. frugal, ie savvy cooks use to amplify flavor from the last bits of ingredients, like Parmigiano Reggiano “bones”. (My recipe for Parmesan broth is below).

Mo’s great intro tells the real source of these strategies:

zingermans.com

 

You can read Mo’s entire article here. Here it is broken into hunks and notated:

 

zingermans.com

Parmesan rinds make a lovely broth in lieu of chicken and can be used in the same way. I love it as a base for composed soups, to dress pastas, and to fortify risottos, or cook potatoes for mashing, and dried beans. (See my Parmesan Bone Broth recipe at the bottom of this article.)

Parmesan bones also works miracles in doctoring up ordinary canned chicken broth to make a rich, delicious broth. They last indefinitely, so are a great flavoring staple to keep in fridge or freezer.

zingermans.com

I routinely throw Prosciutto, smoky ham, salami or guanciale rinds into stews, soups and broths to infuse them with flavor and body. I fish them out before serving.

 

zingermans.com

Rather than making a broth, I often infuse chicken, beef, pork or lamb bones right into a dish I’m making -say a braise or a pot of beans. I’ll tie vegetable trimmings up into a cheese cloth bag, hobo-style. I simply remove them with tongs once they’ve given over they’re flavor, and discard. Easy-peasy.

 

zingermans.com

The flavors that remain in a condiment jar can be amazing: jar drippings (like pan drippings). They’re good for dressing olives, roasted vegetables, on beans for bruschetta…even to use to dress pasta.  Just make sure they still smell and taste fresh.

 

zingermans.com

When I actually tasted pasta cooking water, I discovered that it is very similar to a light chicken broth. Hence the reason it is so good for emulsifying or extending the fats used to dress pasta. My recipe for Spaghetti With Spicy Garlic Oil And Anchovies is a great example of the technique.

 

The New York Times

Recipe: Parmesan Bone Broth (from A New Way to Cook)

4 cups low sodium chicken broth or water
2 cups water
1/4 pound Parmigiano Reggiano rind or 2 ounces Parmigianno Reggiano cheese
2 ounce chunk prosciutto (optional)
7 sprigs thyme
5 peeled garlic cloves

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 hour. Strain. Let the liquid cool, then chill several hours. If desired, skim the congealed fat and discard. Makes about 1 quart.

 

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5 replies on “Secret Flavor Amplifiers of Clever Cooks + Parmesan Bone Broth Recipe

  1. Thank you for this. Cooking is not ordinarily on my list of things I love, but concocting – ah, now that’s a different story! Much as I am not wanting to rush the seasons, fall is one of my favorites (maybe my most favorite) and these ideas are urging me forward. I will try all of them and certainly some of the other suggestions mentioned in the posting. Where would I be without you!!!

  2. I love the resourcefulness of this concept. I always save my Reggiano rinds and use them each time I make a vegetable minestrone for the extra flavour wallop they deliver with no effort. Speaking of which a minestrone is a great home for odds and ends you have hanging around the fridge. Toss into a pot and you have the magic of alchemy after a few hours.
    A mix of hard and soft vegetables is ideal.

    Next up : stale bread?

  3. Thanks for the reminder of minestrone. A splendid soup.

    Stale bread: breadcrumbs, of course…and using for a panade in pates and meatloaves (soak in milk until soft. The resulting mush is a great binder).
    Good brushed with olive oil and cut clove of garlic and put in the bottom of the bowl, to be topped with your minestrone…
    I used to make a wonderful bread pudding with stale french bread…buttered, arranged in a terrine, with a sweet custard scented with kirschwasser (cherry brandy) and vanilla bean poured over and baked…

  4. I love the tip for the Parmesan rinds! But,
    It seems contradictory to write a whole article on getting flavor from bits of food that might otherwise be discarded, then the broth recipe says to skim off and discard the rich, flavorful fat that rises to the top. I’d use that fat to make a roux for a sauce or gravy.

  5. Good point. I skim the fat off because I like a clear, limpid broth AND find certain fats hard to digest. But that certainly doesn’t go for everybody and chicken w Parmesan fat could be delish.

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