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Cheese rinds give broth umami taste

The inedible rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano make a delicious umami-rich broth.
The inedible rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano make a delicious umami-rich broth.

Frugal cooks are probably familiar with the practice of tossing the hard rind of cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano into a pot of soup to add flavor. But there's a way to coax even more flavor from those rinds.

Parmesan broth.

Parmesan broth is great for making use of what would otherwise be discarded. But it's so much more than that. It has a depth of flavor that simply isn't there with regular vegetable broth or chicken stock.

Umami is often considered the "fifth" taste alongside sweet, salty, bitter and sour. In Japanese, umami means "pleasant savory taste" or "deliciousness." Simply put, umami is what makes savory foods taste so good. Famous umami-rich foods include beef and mushrooms, but also bacon, tomatoes, soy sauce, tuna and parmesan cheese. What these foods have in common is naturally high levels of glutamate, according to The Umami Information Center.

This broth is full of umami.

The most frugal way to make this broth is by saving rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano as you use it; simply place the rind into the freezer until you have enough to make the broth. But if you use the Italian cheese sparingly, or if you don't have the patience to wait, some grocery stores have parmesan rinds at the cheese counter.

The broth can be used in any recipe that calls for vegetable broth or chicken broth, and it makes an especially good risotto or soup base.

Parmesan Broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 large leek, white and light green part, halved lengthwise and roughly chopped (see note)

1/2 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds

1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped (stems too)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 sprig fresh thyme

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and deep, golden brown. Add 2 quarts of water, the cheese rinds, parsley, bay leaves, fennel seed, peppercorns and thyme sprig. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Strain, discarding solids, before use. Broth will keep in an airtight container for about a week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes about 8 cups.

Note: Leeks often have sand and grit trapped between their layers. To clean, place the chopped leek in a bowl of cold water and swish it around, letting the grit sink to the bottom. Remove leek pieces using a slotted spoon and proceed with recipe.

Recipe adapted from culturecheesemag.com

Food on 09/21/2016

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