Learn to live with your leftovers.
Generations past knew how to plan meals and feed their families with out wastage. The disposal of unwanted food was unheard of. It was commonplace for people to grow their own veg and shopped on a daily basis, weekly meals were planned, making use of food stuff that were in season, but most importantly, people knew how to cook.
None of us can afford, or need to throw away food, but in today’s fast-moving consumer society we are encouraged to purchase and discard everything from televisions to tomatoes.
Although we are time poor, with a little planing and less impulse buying it is possible to eat well and turn those left overs into quick nutritious meals.
In this series of blogs on Love your left overs, I hope I can give you some ideas which may help you get creative with your food and save you from making your pooch porky, emptying the waste bin so often or pondering on what goes into recycling.
Get creative with the Basic Quiche recipe.
Basic Shortcrust pastry. Serves 6.
- 225g Plain Flour.
- Pinch of salt.
- 50g Butter or Margarine
- 50g Vegetable Fat or 50ml Vegetable oil
- 4 tbspns Cold Water.
Place the flour, salt, butter & veg fat in the food processor ( If using oil add at the end with the water).
Process until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Remove lid & add the water – & oil – if using, to the centre of the mixture & process until the mixture comes together & forms a ball. DO NOT over process.
Wrap the pastry loosely in cling film & rest in fridge, while assembling the filling.
Heat oven to 200c. Gas Mk6. 400f. If using a fan assisted oven reduce temps by 20c
Basic Filling
- 2 Large Free range Eggs
- Yolks of 2 large Eggs ( use the whites for meringues, omelettes or scrambled eggs )
- 500ml Milk.
- Seasoning, Salt, Pepper, Chilli Flakes, Herbs, etc to your taste.
Place the above in a bowl & beat together.
Now here’s the fun part. The fillings below are only suggestions, use your imagination or more importantly, use up your LEFTOVERS.
Roll out the pastry & use to line a 20cm Flan tin & fill with your choice of left overs, which could be:
- Left over cooked potatoes, greens, sautéed onions, cheese & thyme
- Sausages & sliced tomatoes, cheese. & sage
- A mix of assorted cheeses & cayenne pepper.
- Fish, fresh of tinned & fennel or tarragon
- Cooked cauliflower, cheese & parsley
- sautéed mushrooms, bacon & thyme
- Roasted red peppers, Sun dried tomatoes, olives, parmesan & basil
Pour over the egg mixture, stand the flan tin on a pre-heated baking sheet, lace in the centre of the oven & bake for 40 mins, reducing the heat to 180c, 350f, Gas 6, after 15mins.
When cooked the Quiche should be set & slightly puffed up – will flatten slightly as it cools – Serve Hot or cold. with salad or cooked veg.
Hope you enjoy the first of my LOVE YOUR LEFT OVERS series. If you have any comments or want me to suggest how to use your left overs please fill out the form below. Happy cooking.
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