Techniques

Don’t Toss the Trimmings

Keep those mangy green bits! Do like the pros do, and use every last scrap of produce. Here are a few clever tips from some of the country’s best whole-vegetable cooks

"I fry tomato skins in olive oil until they're crisp, and then use them to garnish a soup or another tomato dish."—Deborah Madison, author, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

"We save all of our herb stems and roast meat on them instead of on a rack. It's a nice aromatic cushion for resting your meat, too." —Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, Oregon

"Turnip leaves and stems can be sautéed with garlic butter and tossed with handmade pasta, walnuts, anchovies, lemon, and puréed turnip bulbs." —Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern, New York City

"I pickle radish tops with vinegar, garlic, and chiles. The flavor is beautiful." —Joshua McFadden, Ava Genes, Portland, Oregon

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