Can I use the water I blanched green beans in (prior to freezing them) in or as a soup stock?

 We've already told you the story, haven't we, about the friends who throw out the juices from a roast chicken so they can start their gravy fresh with a bouillon cube? We're pretty sure that was among the leading grounds for the divorce – although, now that we think about it, that may have been one of the few points they agreed on….

In any case, absolutely, you can use something that will contribute more flavor to your soups. Many people (well, fewer than we would like) save their vegetable peelings and scraps and throw them in the pot when they start making a soup or stock, then strain them out before adding the real ingredients. Potato cooking water is often used as a base for soups and chowders and in some bread recipes as a flavorful substitute for water.

The only thing you want to be careful about is that the vegetables were clean when they went into your blanching water, so that you don't have any grit in your soup.

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