The One Thing You Should Always Keep in the Freezer

Who: Charlie Marshall of The Marshal
Where: Manhattan, New York
See his kitchen: Chef Charlie Marshall’s Tiny, Well-Ordered New York City Kitchen

A couple weeks ago, when we peeked into Chef Charlie Marshall’s small New York City kitchen, we couldn’t help but notice what he had stashed in his freezer. In fact, it’s something he believes all cooks should have in their freezers, at all times. Can you guess what it is?

Charlie believes that frugality is an important part of maintaining an efficient kitchen. As a chef who’s developed close friendships with farmers throughout the years, he is keenly aware of the resources required to grow and distribute produce, so he believes in making the most of every vegetable scrap!

The way to do that? “Always have a mirepoix bag in your freezer,” he says. “Don’t throw away carrot ends, the last piece of celery, scraps of onion; put them in your freezer in a bag and use them in your next stock or soup. It might seem a little frugal, but if someone really went to the trouble of growing this beautiful vegetable for you, why are you throwing 10–20% of each one away? That’s crazy-town!”

Also, don’t toss those vegetable tops: “Don’t throw away carrot tops or beet greens,” he says. “Make a pesto with them and it will last for a couple of weeks in your fridge, especially if you make it with verjus.”

Thanks for sharing, Charlie!