Leftovers Recipes
Source: BBC Good Food
To celebrate Food Waste Action Week from 18th - 24th March we have chosen some recipes to help you use any leftover food items.
This years campaign is encouraging people to 'Choose What You'll Use', highlighting the benefits of buying loose fruit and vegetables and inspiring people to do this wherever they can. Buying loose reduces food waste, enabling people to buy closer to their needs.
BAKED CAMEMBERT PASTA ALFREDO
Using leftover camembert
INGREDIENTS
250g wheel of camembert
2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
3 tbsp olive oil
200g tagliatelle
200ml double cream
2 large handfuls of baby spinach leaves
3 tbsp grated parmesan
4 slices prosciutto, torn
METHOD
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice the camembert in half through the equator and put one half, cut-side up, in a large round baking dish (ours was 30cm). Set the other half aside for later.
Poke half the garlic slices and half the rosemary leaves into the cheese and drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil. Bake for 15 mins until oozing and golden at the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a mugful of the cooking water.
Tip the pasta, cream, spinach and 2 tbsp of the parmesan into the baking dish with the camembert, season and toss with a splash of the reserved cooking water, breaking up the camembert until everything is coated in the sauce.
Put the other half of the camembert on top of the pasta, cut-side down. Pierce a few holes in the rind and poke in the remaining garlic and rosemary. Lay the prosciutto over the pasta, scatter over the remaining parmesan, drizzle the remaining oil over and bake for 10 mins until the cheese has melted. Serve straight from the baking dish.
PRAWN & COD CAKES
Using leftover mash
INGREDIENTS
250g cod loin, skinless and boneless
175g cooked king prawns, chopped
175g mashed potato
small bunch chives, snipped
zest 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges, to serve
5 eggs, 1 beaten
50g breadcrumbs
2 tsp olive oil
200g green beans
100g cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
METHOD
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. In a small saucepan cover the cod with cold water and gently poach for 3-4 mins until just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Flake into a medium bowl with the prawns, potato and most of the chives, lemon zest and some seasoning. Shape into 4 even-size cakes and chill for 10 mins.
Dip each cake in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs, repeat with the remaining fish cakes. Brush each cake with 1 tsp of the olive oil, place on a roasting tray and cook for 25 mins, turning halfway through. Cook beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 mins, until tender, adding the tomatoes for the final min. Drain and toss through the remaining oil, vinegar and reserved chives, mashing the tomatoes lightly with a fork, season with some black pepper and set aside.
For the poached eggs bring a shallow pan of water to just boiling, stir the water once or twice and crack in the eggs. Poach for 3-4 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. Serve the fishcakes topped with a poached egg and garnished with the beans and a few wedges of lemon for squeezing over.
Spiced French Toast
Using leftover hot cross buns
4 tbsp soft butter
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
100ml milk
4 hot cross buns, split in half
vanilla ice cream and maple syrup, to serve
METHOD
Mix 3 tbsp of the butter with half the cinnamon and mash together. Beat together the egg, milk and remaining cinnamon. Sandwich 2 slices of hot cross bun together with half the cinnamon butter and repeat with the remaining two slices.
Dip in the egg mix and leave to soak for a few secs. Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Cook the hot cross buns for 1-2 mins each side until light golden (you may need to do this in two batches). Press down on them as you cook. Serve each portion topped with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup, if you like.