Webchat with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Thursday 3 December - Love your Leftovers

[UrsulaMumsnet]

In the second of our awesome chef webchats this week, we're welcoming HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL for a webchat on Thursday, 1-2pm.

Hugh will be on hand to help you with your Christmas cookery conundrums and to celebrate the release of his new cookbook Love your Leftovers, we're also inviting you to challenge Hugh to come up with a recipe from your leftovers.

Join us on Thursday at 1pm or post a question to Hugh in advance on this thread. Everyone who posts a question or sets Hugh a leftover challenge (let us know what's lurking in your fridge) will be entered into a draw to win one of four signed copies of his book.

Hi Mr.F-W.
For us it's a name change that's required - if I say 'it's leftovers' there's a collective groan before I even start ! So - any cool names you can come up with to go with your inspirational dishes will be greatly appreciated !!
Many thanks !
Karen, OnePlan
( thanks for your work with the fish and Chook peeps too ! You really did great ! )

Hi Hugh
We often have not enough leftovers for a full meals - maybe a bit of cooked meat or half a portion of leftover rice,pasta, cous cous. Are there a few magic long life good that I should keep in my kitchen to bulk up these leftovers and create a satisfying evening meal?

Thanks!

Hey, my husband "Mr Webb" is a huge fan! Please say "Hi" to him, it will earn me massive wife points, also can you clear up an argument for us. 2 years ago the kids and I were waiting outside La Rochelle airport for their Uncle to arrive, I'm 100% sure you walked out in front of him, I managed to take a sneaky photo ... Was it you!? X

Hi hugh, I love your books- veg is solely responsible for my husbands cooking, and has transformed the way we eat. Far less meat, far more veg, and far less wasteful. Fish has led to my being far more aware of the impact of my choices and I'm a more considerate shipper as a result. Thanks.

My question is: I'm doing goose for Christmas lunch, standard roast potatoes and red cabbage - can you suggest any other delicious sides to go with goose?

Shopper. I'm not a shipper in any capacity

Hello Hugh,
Good to have you on Mumsnet.

I really enjoyed War on Waste, quite thought provoking and some good points for discussion with the family. I'm a careful shopper, and have years of experience with portion control, so don't really have very much food left over.

A popular thread on Mumsnet is What's for Dinner where we all lust after the meals that everyone else is having that night.

So, tonight I'm having liver and mash, but what are you having for dinner tonight Hugh?

Love your cookbooks - they are far and away the most used in our household. What's your family's favourite recipe? Is there something you end up cooking for them every week?

All alone- great question!!

Hello. The parsnip farm made me so angry (and I may have snivelled a bit, bloody hormones). What can we actually DO about that sort of insanity?

I am all for using up scrag ends in the fridge, but that's just scratching the surface of food waste to the extent that it's virtually pointless in the face of such phenomenal waste.

Realistically, what can the average shopper, who will continue to use supermarkets topped up by farmers' market veg, actually do that makes a tangible difference?

And I bloody love your River Cottage Veg book - the north African stew gets cooked about once a week

Hi Hugh - I have been watching repeats of your River Cottage programmes recently, and loving them!

We are having roast goose for Christmas dinner, and last year, I did a sort of sticky asian goose thing with the leftovers - I mixed the shredded goose with soy sauce, runny honey, some grated ginger and some five-spice, and dry fried it until dark and sticky, then served with rice.

Have you any other ideas of things I could do with it? There are 5 adults at home this Christmas, so, after the day, there won't be a huge amount of the goose left - just enough for one meal.

Thank you in advance! And Happy Christmas!

Hi Hugh

Long-term fan here - first watched one of your shows (frying up a placenta!) when on a romantic holiday in Wales, back in the 90s.

Oh and we saw you filming your 'parsnip cooking session' on the Piazza in Wimbledon during the summer hols (you're much taller than I'd imagined).

My challenge for a leftovers recipe is one involving boiled potatoes, sausages, leeks and brussel sprouts.

Many thanks!

Kate

"red sauce" is a good use of leftovers here. any veg. (except perhaps parsnips) diced, fried flavoured in one of a handful of ways and chopped tomatoes added to make it red sauce. children love it. so though it is not culinary masterpiece it gets them fed veggies, lots of veggies that they do not like on their own. any left overs are frozen. and most likely eaten for my lunch or bunged into the next batch of red sauce.

the poor parsnips get roasted for me though.

As my parents were brought up in the war on strict rationing, I have been brought up with the use all food, no waste and make do and mend mentality.

What is your go to, bung anything in leftover meal?

Hello Hugh!

Inspired by your war on waste program I am cutting down even more on our food waste.

My 2 sticking points are:

1. chillies, the only seem to come in packs of 3 or 4 the ones I haven't used straight away go wrinkly, are they OK to use? what can I do with them?

1. meals destined for the freezer that never quite make it, 3 or 4 days after making something I will remember that it is still in the fridge...I then worry that I will give the children food poisoning if I freeze it and re-heat. I should freeze it the same day but sometimes I am just run ragged (x4 dc's and the youngest is still small...hence more angst about food poisoning!)

TIA

Hugh's been stuck in a bit of traffic but should be with us shortly. We'll keep you posted.

Hi Hugh, my best leftover tip - for proper last night's supper in the pan leftovers! - is to heat it all up for lunch in a more soupy way with water and a spoonful of miso (I usually use the Korean equivalent) It's very tasty with cheese on top.
What is your one best tip for veggie leftovers? Thanks

Hi Hugh, thanks for joining us today

Are you serious about those crispy fish skeletons in your new book -would you really eat them??

I'm pretty good at using stuff up; I went to have a smug look through my fridge to prove my point this morning and discovered half a pot of greek yogurt, right at the back with a use by date of June.......this one might have to go in the bin.

Sorry for letting the side down Hugh

Think you've probably created a new life form there CatFish

Sorry for the delay - we've been told Hugh is 5 mins away - do stay with us...

Well, in the absence of the magnificent Hugh, Starry - you can freeze chillies - that's what we always do and they are great.

test

It's gin all round while we wait then!!

Hugh is now here and says he's so sorry to keep you waiting. He's now ready to crack on.

Hi everyone

Delighted to be with you at last, so sorry to keep you waiting. It was the traffic, of course.

London traffic is worse than being stuck behind a tractor hey?