… Face interdit? |
How can this be possible?
8 SepMe and my Inner Womble!
7 AprThe ‘flu bug I had ages ago affected my appetite, my energy to cook and therefore the amount of leftovers I had for some considerable time. The last few days, however, I feel that me and my inner womble are back on form.
Wombles, as you know, can’t abide human wastefulness but they do appreciate the good food scraps that our species throw away because the burrow’s cook, Madame Cholet ( pictured) is a dab hand at making great meals out of leftovers. Unfortunately, however, a large percentage of the human race don’t live near Wimbledon which is why, hopefully, this blog and my book, Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers, come in useful.
Today’s Lunch …
This just came about because I only had two large potatoes left last night when cooking mashed potatoes for dinner. One was too small, two was too much. Today I mixed a dollop of roasted garlic mayonnaise into the leftover mash, wrapped it round a remanant of Boursin (garlic and herb), rolled it in panko crumbs (lots more to do with panko crumbs here) fried and ate it. Both my lunches were truly delicious, both were made out of leftovers and both were decided on the spur of the moment.
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Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers
All the recipes, ideas, hints, suggestions, information etc. I can think of for over450 potential leftovers. Madame Cholet would be proud of me!
Back Home in Cornwall and eating "Normally"
5 DecNot burnt ~ black garlic bread! |
My dessert occurred as a by-product of my aging process, I believe.
Preparing my breakfast I accidentally added the spoonful of instant coffee to my vanilla yogurt instead of my coffee mug. Well you know how I abhor wasting anything; I stirred it in and put it in the fridge for lunch pudding. It worked fine!
Remember my rant-ette a few days ago? Well, my darling brought home a Christmas wreath yesterday, reduced in price by a considerable amount and much as we appreciate the bargain there is absolutely nothing wrong with the it; no dryness, no sign of wilting, just fine and dandy!
Seafood Chowder & Pepper "Wine"
18 NovSeafood Chowder
This is such a brilliant method for making soup that I have written an entire soup cookbook, containing 60+ delicious soup recipes based on one easy flexible key recipe together with instructions for stock making, guidance on adding herbs, spices and other flavourings plus additional recipes for roasted garlic, pepper coulis, frazzled leeks, compound butters and other garnishes and accoutrements.
My Other Good Idea was to serve the chowder with a pretty glass bottle of “Pepper Wine” for drizzling purposes. In this case, as is often the way in the Caribbean, pepper means chilli and wine means rum. A little really contrasts with and enhances the creaminess of the soup.
Caribbean Pepper “Wine”
Soup Fritters!
This chowder featured in possibly the most bizarre thing I have ever cooked – soup fritters. We had a very on/off function pending and, eventually, it was off, Then suddenly one Sunday afternoon, half way through a busy brunch, I was told it was on again. Eighty people were due in a couple of hours hoping for up-market nibbly bits. I would have liked to panic but didn’t have the time.
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What I did do was make fish cakes out of the remains of the seafood chowder. I can’t remember how but if I had to do it today this is what I would do.
Strain the chowder, reserving all lumps, and bring the juices to a boil. Thicken quite substantially with a beurre manie (flour and butter munged together) and whisked in. Cook a few minutes and cool a while. Mix in reserved fish etc. and enough breadcrumbs to make a malleable consistency. Taste and flavour up – lime zest and hot sauce spring to mind. Spread onto a cooled shallow dish and chill to firm. Roll into balls, flatten, coat in breadcrumbs (panko are great) and shallow fry to crisp and golden. They were such a success people asked for the recipe but I was too embarrassed to tell them.
Tomatoes from the Jungles of Holland!
30 SepI know quite a lot about food so was surprised to only recently discover that lovely tomatoes can be found in the jungles of Holland.
Quelle Surprise as the Dutch doubtless say.
These little darlings not only looked good they were sweet and delicious, I ate them as part of a peculiar little test lunch.
I have less than a month to submit the manuscript of my book (see below) and so much to eat before I do so.
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Today I tried munging together crunchy peanut butter and cream cheese with grated cheddar and breadcrumbs to make a nutty cheese patty type thing. It worked!
I really thought it wouldn’t which is why I only made one and am still a bit peckish. Perhaps I’d better test something else in a minute.
We are still Up North and probably will be so for a while – lots of things to sort out here. Sometimes, however, we have time for a little relaxation and yesterday we went to Ponteland which was a very surprising village near Newcastle.
Ponteland (pronounce pont ee land, not pontiland as some southerners think – I know, I am one) is a pretty little place, lots of grass and trees, a river, lovely buildings of old golden stone, an ancient pele tower and a Waitrose!!
Yes, that’s what I thought – a whole Waitrose in one village! We’ve only got one in all of Cornwall. Obviously the whole thing about it being “grim Up North” is a lie.
So that’s it I’m afraid – I have so much to do and have limited internet time as I’m afraid I’m on the dongle. At my age!
My Book on Leftovers ~ News from the Future
My book was published in March, 2013. Originally titled The Leftovers Handbook a second edition is now available and is called Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers.
Fifty Shades of Gravy ~ well, four-ish actually
18 SepDo you know what irritates me? That advert that starts …
Gravy |
Wavy Gravy |
“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.”
"Garlic & Sapphires" by Ruth Reichl – a Review
1 SepSpeaking of books about food I have written a few cookbooks myself – here’s my Amazon Author Page (just in case you’re interested!).
Yukky Gnocchi & Yummy Chocky Quesadilla
20 AugOn the other hand I was abso–feckin-lutely delighted, as the Irish say, with my dessert.
Quesadillas
Many, many is the time I have turned, in a professional sense, to quesadillas to use up leftovers. These lovely crisp Mexican (or Tex Mex?) versions of a sandwich are so versatile, so quick and easy and so, so delicious. Normally the filling consists of beans, or chicken, or chilli con carne, etc, with cheese and salsa; those sort of things.
Good idea or what?
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I have a pack of flour tortillas to play with for my forthcoming book on leftovers (see below) so I thought – why not a chocky quesadilla? And then the answer came to me; no reason at all. My lunch pudding was but the work of a few moments …
~ I chopped 3 squares (just 3) of Lindt’s dark and lovely chilli chocolate. ~ Sprinkled it on one half of a flour tortilla (plain!).
~ Folded it in half and pressed down firmly so that no chocky could escape.
~ Melted a knob of butter in a non stick pan.
~ Fried my quesadilla till crisp and golden on the outside and lovely and gooey in the middle.
~ Ate it which was rather messy but had to be done – working lunch!
Leftover Gnocchi …
My Book on Leftovers