Waste Not For Lent

 Today is Ash Wednesday and it's the start of the Christian Lenten season. It's the time before easter when everyone gives up a favorite food for forty day. Instead of that,  why not give up waste. It may even lead to a good all year round habit of conserving.

Home chefs waste a lot, especially foodwise. One of the best ways to be efficient is to write a thorough list before food shopping. Stick to it. Don;t buy excess. If a recipe calls for one pepper or onion then get it. Don;t buy the three packs or bags of the veggie unless you plan on using them all. Keep in mind that some veggies such as spinach are extremely versatile. Any leftover leaves can be turned into that delicious Italian classic soup, stracciatella. They can also be cooked with garlic and oil for a different sauce for penne or rotelli.It can also be used in salads too as as a dub in for lettuce in any recipe. Potatoes are also in the same category. Leftover ones can be used in soups to thicken the texture instead of a flour based roux. Mashed potatoes can be turned into croquettes for a tasty leftover. Even those peels can be turned into crunchy and crispy chips, perfect for snacking or as a side for burgers or wings.

What about meat? Ham can be ground into deviled ham which tastes much better than any of the commercial ones. The bone should not be thrown away. Use it in pea soup. It adds an incredible earthy sweet flavor .You can also boil it into ham stock which is a great base for corn chowder and lentil soup. Leftover chicken can easily be made into a tasty chicken salad. Just add mayo and tarragon to make it pop. It can also be added to noodle soup or just added to any white pasta sauce for a heartier bite. Leftover ham and chicken chunks can also be put on homemade pizza too for a more flavorful topping. This also applies to roast beef and London Broil. it too can be put into sauces and on top of pizza however you may want to try it as a hash for breakfast or lunch. Cut the meat into small cubes and use it with leftover potatoes and diced onions.It's fried up slowly so every piece is browned and caramelized. Serve with eggs sunny side up or scrambled ones. 

Waste is a sin. Learn how to make the most of your leftovers. Don't buy overage. Change your habits for Lent and a better future for your kitchen.

Still Celebrating St Patrick's Day

Even though we're all shuttered in right now, we can still celebrate St Patrick's Day. It's just having some ingenuity and imagination. A party is what we need right now so go to it.

It may be a little late for some foods but you can try tomorrow. There is corned beef and cabbage, an Irish-American dish that's easy to make. If you're busy with the kids, think a crockpot one ,flavored with beer. You can also make this for weekends for a festive change up from the usual. You can also grill it if you have your barbecue ready, Use a dry rub of cinnamon, mustard seed, ginger and cloves along with ginger and dill. You can also brine it in dark beer for a marinade. This is sweetened and spiced with brown sugar, pickling spices and onions along with garlic and cold water. If you've already had your corned beef and cabbage, then start tomorrow with corned beef hash. The kids will like this, especially with scrambled eggs. Just chop the meat and saute it with some onions and potatoes .  Create some nests in the hash for making eggs sunnyside up. As for the cabbage, try the traditional bubble and squeak which is frying up the greens with potatoes in butter. Serve with crispy bacon or even eggs for a different kind of brunch and lunch.

Irish soda bread is another must have for the day. Since everyone is inside , baking is easy and a great past time.It's a simple make, thanks to the recipe not using yeast,It's baking soda that gives the loaf its' rise. The recipe also uses buttermilk and egg too and is sweetened with raisins or currents. Think about turning  any leftovers into a tasty bread pudding. This is  a rich decadent bake, complete with heavy cream and eight eggs. You can also add cinnamon and cardamon for more flavor along with  freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. More raisins or other fruit such as blueberries can be mixed in. Any good bread pudding deserves a topping and you can top this one with a store bought or homemade caramel topping.. Once you've mastered the bread you can move on to Irish soda bread muffins and scones. The muffin recipe has some slight modification. Baking powder is added in this recipe to give the muffins some rise along with the addition of carraway seeds. Sugar is dusted on top for sweetness.  You can also make the scone version and serve them warm from the oven. There are even Irish soda bread cookies .It's the same recipe save with only using one egg. They sort of look like flat little scones and I guess you could put some butter on them.

We may be quarantined. Yet we deserve a party with good  food. Create a St Paddy's one with traditional tasty foods.

Boxing Day Repurposing

Today is Boxing Day - usually referred to as Christmas' sad sibling. It's the day when leftovers from Christmas rule and that means cold turkey, ham, or prime rib sandwiches . However those leftovers can be repurposed into tasty and hot dishes  that are so delicious , they'll overshadow yesterday's meal. It's just getting creative with what's in the fridge.

One of the best renditions of leftovers comes from the Great British Baking show judge, Paul Hollywood.His is a take on Chelsea Buns a kind of cinnamon bun. This one is both sweet and savory thanks to the addition of leftover shredded turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. The dough is a surprisingly sweet  which actually works well with the other ingredients .It's rolling the yeast  dough out into a square,letting it proof. and then spoon and spread out the cranberry sauce first. It's then sprinkling on the shredded turkey and crumbled stuffing.The dough is later rolled like a jelly sponge and cut into pieces. Place the rolls, swirly, side up in a deep roasting pan or baking tray. Let it go through a second rise for an hour before baking it at 400 degrees Farenheit. You probably can do the same with shredded ham too but instead of cranberry sauce, try a layer of mustard for some kick.Another of Mr. Hollywood's recipe is a Boxing Day pie made with the same ingredients as the buns, turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, done in layers. The crust is a hot water crust.I don't see why this can't be done with leftover ham and possibly scalloped potatoes.

Another way of getting rid of that holiday turkey or ham is turning it into a tasty salad. For the turkey mix it with mayo, celery and tarragon. Serve it on warmed croissants for a lovely lunch. The same can be done with the ham,  Ham salad can be served on pretzel rolls for a hearty lunch or even dinner.Ham can also be repurposed in homemade pea soup. Definitely save the bone for this. Prime rib is an elegant meal the first time its' served. It becomes a hearty ingredient as it transforms into leftovers.Try making a hash with it. Add any leftover baked potatoes,preferably Idahos along with a chopped white onion and celery .You can also use leftover mashed potatoes too. Rosemary and parsley are added for more flavor.  First the onion and celery are sauteed in butter, then the meat and potatoes are added along with Tabasco and ketchup.everything is cooked in an eight inch saute pan for only a couple of minutes. The pan is then transferred to a 450 degree Farenheit oven for ten to fifteen minutes. Serve with fried or sunny side up eggs. You could also turn the leftover prime rib into a soup.Combine with cubed potatoes and fresh sliced mushrooms with two cups of beef stock.Serve with crusty , buttered rolls for a hearty soup on a cold day,

Boxing Day doesn't have to mean cold leftovers. Turn yesterday's feast into hearty tasty dishes. They'll be tastier the second time around.

Leftovers With Zip

One of the worst things a home chef dreads is boring leftovers. Usually these consist of some forgotten veggies, leftover carcasses and this and that of sides from recent dinners past. Luckily with a dash of spice or a pat of butter these can be transformed into yummy meals that will be eaten. It just takes some  creativity and the will to experiment.

One of the worst are those veggies that are still laying around the crispers. These can be that one leftover tomato or onion that was just one too many for a particular dish.These can be sliced up and made into a tasty salad, thanks to some added  homemade dressing.These lone veggies can also go into an omelet, revving up the common  egg dish into a frittata. You can even add a dash of Parmesan too for more flavor.  Leftover broccoli and beets can also be transformed into colorful salads,perfect sides for tailgating parties. Be grateful for those leftover roasts too.Ham cam be devilled thanks to a quick spin in a food processor or it can be used for part of a croque monsieur sandwich.  Turkey can be cut up for that classic tetrazzini or a yummy turkey and celery  salad. This last can also be done with chicken, using mayo and tarragon for a lushly  flavored salad. Serve on croissants for a really elegant lunch or supper.Those London Broil slices will be good on hot, buttery garlic bread or perfect in a biscuit topped meat pie.

Two of the most versatile foods that make perfect leftovers are bread and potatoes. Any kind of left over bread can be turned into a sweet or savory bread pudding.Stale  French and Italian breads make an excellent base for the famed dessert pudding. They create a chewy, textured treat that's makes for an decadent dessert, especially when served with salted caramel sauce.These baguettes also are great for being repurposed into French toast. Any bread makes for tasty homemade croutons and breadcrumbs. Potatoes can be turned into almost anything as well. Last night's mash can be transformed into today's crispy fried puff. They can be cut up and used for breakfast and brunch hash browns. In fact you can use your leftover peppers and onions in it as well. Plain baked potatoes can be turned into a mash zinged up with garlic. Sweet potatoes are part of the versatility category too. They are wonderful mashed and whipped or as pancakes. Many turn them into fries or a kind of Tater tot, to be served with a molasses syrup. Use both white and sweet in a hash redolent with bacon strips and pepper for a fun brunch side.

Leftovers don't have to be hohum. They can be transformed into exciting new dishes that are mouth watering. In fact they'll be so good , there won't be any leftovers!

The NY Times Second Thanksgiving Issue

The New York Times Wednesday Dining section has put out a second week of holiday tips and recipes.While last week was devoted to more traditional recipes, this week's has a personal and international flavor. what's great is that there are some recipes for the day after as well.After all Thanksgiving may just be for one day but the leftovers are for a few. There are some really good ideas in this issue.Surprisingly there is pastrami thrown into the mix.True, this is not a traditional but just as delicious as any wing or leg.Danny Bowen of Mission Chinese Food gives it anAsian zing.He adds Asian fish sauce to the traditional corned beef that is used.A pickled mustard condiment that has a whole cornucopia of veggies along with chilis . it would make for a nice supper when watching those games afterwards.There is also potato nik ,contributed by Mark Bittman.This is a kind of giant latke(perfect for Hanukkah which also shares the holiday spotlight).It's made more like a corn bread and a wedge would go well with some gravy and turkey slices.For those leftovers ,try WD-50's chef Wylie DuFresnes's turkey hash.This is a mix of leftover bird with potatoes and onion .Chef DuFresne suggests eggs sunny side up but is also a good pairing with scrambled ones too. More traditional yet some what sophisticated fare is also represented too. There is a French pumpkin soup by famed Lutece chef ,Andre Soltner.This is a better addition of pumpkin to the table than pie,in my opinion.It is a nice mix of the gourd with another autumn veggie, the turnip.White wine along with carrots and onions are also added to this cream enhanced potage.It would be best serving before the main dish and just as filling as any appetizer.Pastry chef,Claudia Fleming, of Gramercy Tavern,contributes an apple crumb crostata.This is more of a galette style dessert than traditional deep dish pie.It has a nice brown sugar and cinnamon topping.Another traditional dish is chef Suzanne Goin's turkey infused stock ,which can be made into everything from turkey chili to soup or risotto. Again ,save this week's New York Times Dining section.Try some of the rcipes tomorrow or over the weekend.All are tasty and are culinary riffs on the two holidays,Thanksgiving and Hannukah.Enjoy them .They're tasty variations to the usual fare.