Soup Is For Using Up Stuff.

Supper, Sunday January 29: french onion soup, tossed salad with avocado.

I am an almost pathological "user" of leftover food. We throw almost nothing away and what we do throw away goes in the compost. It comes from a combination of experiences during my childhood and the time that I spent in the restaurant business. I do mean almost. I know what a hoarder is and I am not that. 

The leftover in this case was bratwurst "stock." At least once, sometimes more often, I do a tailgate at my alma mater, a small liberal arts college. I like to bring a lot of brats and share them. Now, put eighty or so brats in a pot with caramelized onions, beer, and water, simmer for several hours, then what you've got is a lot of yummy brats to crisp up on the grill, AND a pot full of bratwurst stock. Add more onions, reduce a bit, a little black pepper, a little bit of thyme. Voila! Soup! 

I pressure can it in quarts for later.