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Food thread! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas.

999 replies

Ninkanink · 22/03/2020 09:47

Thought I’d start a thread for everyone to post their tips and ideas on how best to use foodstuffs. Hoping it could be an easy guide as well for those who maybe aren’t so used to home cooking or using leftover foods, or understanding how best to utilise everything you have, expiry dates etc.

We have always been very conscious of food waste so we plan very carefully to use every scrap of food, it’s not hard, it’s just a skill one develops.

I’ll post some of my favourite leftover/using up bits meals and menus here and if anyone else wants to as well, please do!

OP posts:
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Ninkanink · 03/04/2020 14:58

If you haven’t tried this recipe you must, it’s so good. It makes an excellent dip/side dish/sauce for meats and salads.

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/ottolenghis-hot-charred-cherry-tomatoes-with-cold-yoghurt

OP posts:
caperplips · 03/04/2020 15:07

Dh went shopping yesterday so we have delicious fresh bread today and we had super soft white bread with real butter and tinned red salmon sandwiches for lunch - loads of sea salt and cracked black pepper - it was utterly delicious.

I felt a bit guilty as we had a few slices of the old bread left but I couldn't bear the thoughts of stale bread today so I cracked open the new loaf.

I'll keep the older bread for toast / breadcrumbs over the next couple of days.

I have a swede and a bag of baby spinach to use up fairly quickly as they were left from last weeks shopping and they don't really fit any of the dinners I have planned. The spinach will be easier to incorporate than the swede.

Ideally I'd love to find a way to use them for lunch. We're growing a tiny bit tired of soup as we've had it a lot over the past couple of week. If any one has any inspiration I'd love to hear it.

We're very well stocked up on most ingredients

Mominatrix · 03/04/2020 15:15

I use quinoa often instead of rice in salads and also instead of cous cous with tangines.

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Graphista · 03/04/2020 15:16

Will catch up on thread properly later as I’m about to jump in bath but question for @Weedsnseeds1

Made the ratatouille tue how long will the portions in the fridge be ok for? Small ok but I know that doesn’t necessarily mean ok? I’m wondering whether to freeze those portions today as I’ve stuff I need to use that doesn’t really go with ratatouille to eat over next couple days

Mominatrix · 03/04/2020 15:17

I mash swede up instead of potato, or add it to potato dishes. It also can be roasted with other root veg.

WhatKatyDidNot · 03/04/2020 15:22

Passing on a tip from my neighbour: finely grate a carrot into any mince-based dish - it kinda melts in as you cook it and makes the mince go that little bit further.

Weedsnseeds1 · 03/04/2020 15:29

Graphista ratatouille is pretty safe from a pathogem point of view as the tomato makes it acid, however you might start to see mould growth in a couple of days ( harmless, but not pleasant to eat Smile) as moulds are pretty tolerant of acid conditions. I'd freeze it I think, for quality reasons.

Weedsnseeds1 · 03/04/2020 15:48

Pathogen - my typing is getting worse!

Graphista · 03/04/2020 16:19

My typing dreadful at best of times thank goodness for auto correct! Grin

I'll freeze it. If I saw mould I wouldn't use it.

PurpleDaisies · 03/04/2020 16:20

Hmm... the thread are my post which I most definitely don’t approve of.

@Xiaoxiong thanks for all those suggestions. I particularly like the idea of cavalo Nero with lemon and paprika, and ice got creme fraiche unopened in the fridge do the dip with wedges is definitely happening. Think I’ve got lemongrass paste somewhere in the pile of jars in the fridge.

My new cookbook* arrived. Pictures to follow. I currently want to make everything. Top of the list is a tofu passada which has poppy seeds in it and cabbage koftes.

PurpleDaisies · 03/04/2020 16:46

caper I made bosh sweet potato tagine using swede and a mix of other sad root veg from the fridge earlier this week. It worked really well. That could be a nice lunch with pitta or a bit of naan bread. Roasting the swede took ages though, I’d be tempted to just boil it next time.

www.you.co.uk/bosh-roast-sweet-potato-tagine/

Xiaoxiong · 03/04/2020 17:12

Purple Tell us about your new cookbook!

Almost all my suggestions are Ottolenghi - I think the sweet potato wedges idea is from Plenty More, and the cavolo nero saute is from Simple. Sounds like you and I have a lot of the same cookbooks Nink.

Graphista · 03/04/2020 17:37

Freezer almost full (I’ve only a small one) fridge much emptier which is a good thing as it was rammed at one point! And I know that’s not good for it.

Have had to get my head around shopping differently, I got myself in a pickle as I have been having to shop on different days and with different supermarkets than usual because of the difficulty of getting delivery slots.

It’s also trying to get UP to the min order level but keeping no of items DOWN as they’ve introduced the 80 item limit. My solution? Alcohol! I’m not a big drinker so rarely buy alcohol but man am I feeling like a drink just now! I’ve ordered rum and wine. The wine I can use in recipes too it does give a nice depth to tomato based and “beef” type recipes.

But my pickle resulted in me having way too much fresh at one point I am TRYING to resist twitching due to the continued difficulty of getting slots especially as we don’t know until day of delivery what we WON’T be getting.

Yes certain items we know are selling fast/out at the moment but I’ve been blindsided by other things being unavailable - mushrooms, tomatoes, grapes, milk I’m finding it very hard to get my preferred skimmed milk and having to tolerate semi which I am not a fan of. I can manage it in cereal and to cook with but I don’t much like it in my cuppa or to drink. Plus I normally order 2 x 1pt as it’s just me so it lasts the week as it only really starts deteriorating once opened but now I’m lucky to get a 2 Pinter and once it’s opened it’s got to be used within 3 days.

I’ve a couple litres long life but again not a fan of the taste but it’ll do at a push

I got as a sub for a broccoli/carrot medley I ordered stir fry pack which is fine but it contains a hot chilli (I’m sure you know by now I don’t really do spicy) and I think lemongrass?

Lemongrass I’ve had when eating out and think I like but no idea how to cook and I’m wondering can I just use a tiny bit of the chilli at a time? How long will it last once cut?

I’m afraid I may well end up just throwing the chilli out.

I also have my very first ever tins of chickpeas and green lentils which I have no idea how to cook with! Do I need to soak them?

@PurpleDaisies

With the leeks, aubergines, onions peppers and tomatoes you could do a type of moussaka or a ratatouille.

With the root veg cabbage and kale a stew, casserole, curry or traybake would tofu work in a traybake? I normally stir fry it so not sure.

The tofu cabbage kale and pepper would all work well in stir fry too.

@spam88 2 plums won’t go too far have you any other fruit in? I would think perhaps thickly slice and sprinkle with sugar or honey or golden syrup and perhaps a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg and grill for a sweet toast topping?

Coming from a scot I think what you call swede is neeps here and so I would say roast and mash and season with salt and black pepper. Yummy with haggis of course but I would say works with any “winter” dish probably go very well with beef, lamb or pork. I’ve been known to have as a side with nut cutlets or veggie sausages.

Weedsnseeds1 · 03/04/2020 17:45

Graphista
Tinned chickpeas etc are already cooked so just add to the dish
Chilli freezes really well, chop finely and freeze in little portions ( I'm sure you can squeeze a chilli into the bulging freezer and chilli chopping will certainly stop you touching your face Smile)
Lemon grass, you either bash to crush it a bit and add the whole stalk or grind with other spices to make a curry paste. It's hard and woody, so don't try to eat it if using whole, just use for flavour

Graphista · 03/04/2020 19:10

Thanks @Weedsnseeds1 for the tips yes I can definitely find room in freezer for diced chilli. Thinking to dice it before I would be washing hands anyway so I make sure I do!

Any recommended recipes from anyone for chickpeas or lentils - bearing in mind I don't have a blender so houmous is out. Thinking more main dishes?

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 03/04/2020 19:32

You can add green lentils to a veg soup. I made a lentil and tired veg soup last week. Otherwise you can make a lentil shepherds pie.

Chickpeas are great in stews and casseroles. They are also good in curries (I assume that you are not a big curry fan Wink).

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 03/04/2020 19:35

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/veggie-shepherds-pie-sweet-potato-mash

PurpleDaisies · 03/04/2020 19:55

Tonight’s tea was a triumph. I made a tofu pasanda from the new book (it’s actually on her site). Really delicious and quite unusual. I added cashew nuts for more texture and used normal tofu. It tasted much better than it looks in the picture!

www.veganricha.com/hemp-tofu-in-rich-creamy-gravy-vegan/

I also made a potato subji which had both cabbage and cavalo Nero in it from Fresh India. The link for that it here...

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/savoy-cabbage-black-kale-and-potato-subji-savoy-aloo-gobhi

I’d intended leftovers for both but we scoffed all the curry. Two portions of the potatoes now in the freezer.

Food thread! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas.
Food thread! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas.
PurpleDaisies · 03/04/2020 20:00

Graphista are your lentils fresh or dried? What colour are they?

I use bucketful every week. Daal is probably my favourite thing to do with them. You can use them as substitute for mince in most things.

PurpleDaisies · 03/04/2020 20:02

weeds just spotted your post. I’d forgotten about moussaka-love the stuff.

Mousakka is another good way to use lentils.

Weedsnseeds1 · 03/04/2020 20:13

It's curry night here too PurpleDaisies
My mung beans I was sprouting turned out to be duds ( thanks Morrisons), no sign of life, so they have become dahl.
Will post pictures of the finished feast when done!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 03/04/2020 20:16

NFBlues That tagging looks amazing. Any chance of a recipe, please?

I'll try to remember to dig out the marmalade cabbage recipe tomorrow. Had forgotten about this thread - and now want to read the whole thing!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 03/04/2020 20:18

Tagine - blasted autocorrect

Weedsnseeds1 · 03/04/2020 20:26

Quince and apple crumble, with experimental coconut flour and weetabix topping (to save the plain flour stock)!

Food thread! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas.
Graphista · 03/04/2020 20:41

Help! Bloody ASDA! Just received delivery from them and instead of the quorn I ordered I've ended up with 4 large bags of frozen fruit!

2 each raspberry and blueberry and I don't even like sodding blueberry! I've no blender and could only fit one in the freezer

Fuck knows what to do with them I think I'm gonna have to throw out Sad

I don't know anyone who'd take them either.

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