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The Use up your Leftovers feature in use up your leftovers last month’s issue was an inspiration. In the spirit of everyone becoming a chef, I rummaged through the kitchen looking for ingredients to use. I created Mexican fish wraps for the whole family, which brought the table alive with spices and aromas. For dessert, the ice cream recipe was a welcome cooler. I whipped it up with fruit salad, crème fraiche and rose syrup, and popped it in the freezer, serving it with pistachios and kunafa. From now on, waste less food will be imprinted on our kitchen philosophy. Khuram Majid update
DON’T THROW IT AWAY
waste less food
7 ways to use up veg ends and scraps
Discover how to make our recipes stretch further, plus tips for seasonal cookery
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Asparagus ends
Blitzed and sieved, the woody ends make a great soup or stock base for a risotto.
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Cabbage cores
Crunchy and pleasantly bitter, cabbage cores can be finely sliced and eaten raw or shredded to add to a remoulade or slaw.
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FRIDGE RAID
Crème fraîche
Essentially a soured cream, this has the advantage over double cream as it keeps longer and imparts more flavour. However, many recipes only call for a tablespoon or two, so try this recipe for making the most of what’s left. It’s also great for using up mushy soft fruit that’s past its prime.
Easy crème fraîche ice cream
Mash or blitz about 200g soft fruit or berries (strawberries, raspberries, mango, peaches and blackberries would all work) and sweeten to taste – they’ll probably take about 50-75g of sugar. Mix with 100-150g crème fraîche and tip into a plastic container. Freeze for about 2 hrs until the ice cream is firm around the edge, then whisk to break down the ice crystals. Return to the freezer for 1 hr, whisk again and freeze until solid. Makes about six scoops.
Carrot tops
Blitz into an earthy pesto or dressing to drizzle over a salad or soup.
HOW TO USE
Leftover roast lamb
If you made roast lamb, you’re bound to be left with some cold cuts. Here are three ways to get the best from them.
Bubble & squeak shepherd’s pie
Finely chop or blitz any leftover lamb and mix with any leftover gravy, then tip into a dish. Squash together any vegetables left over from your roast, or make some mash and use to top the meat and gravy. Bake until crisp and piping hot.
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GOOD FOOD & SUSTAINABILITY At BBC Good Food ME, we seek realistic solutions to avoid food waste and packaging, and adhere to the three Rs: 1) Reducing food waste 2) Recycling packaging 3) Reusing food storage packaging and containers.
Cheat’s shawarma-style lamb
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Cauliflower stalks
The leaves and stalks can be chopped and incorporated into whatever dish you’re using the florets for.
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Mix 2 tsp garam masala with 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Finely slice the leftover lamb and fry until crisp, then add the spice mix and continue to cook until well coated and heated through. Serve in wraps, or with rice or couscous.
Broccoli stalks
Arguably the best bit – peel off the outer skin then you are left with a tender, crunchy core that can be chopped and cooked with the florets or diced and fried.
Fennel fronds
Always keep the beautiful micro herb-esque fronds to scatter over your finished dish.
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Leftover lamb larb
Finely chop or shred any leftover lamb and mix with sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, chopped spring onions and some finely chopped garlic. Serve in lettuce cups, scattered with crushed peanuts and coriander leaves.
Beetroot leaves
The younger, more tender leaves can be eaten as salad while the larger leaves and stalks can be wilted and used like chard.
20 BBC Good Food Middle East May 2021
May 2021 BBC Good Food Middle East 21
B
I absolutely enjoyed the Eid meals feature, particularly the roast aubergine with yogurt and harissa. I love the flavour it gives and the many ways in which I can play around with it. Using Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt makes such a huge difference! Brandon Joseph
oth the vegetarian soups and the no-cook meals were great. I’m currently switching back to a regime of keto meals, because it helps a lot with productivity, previously helped with fasting periods, and generally helps big time with weight loss. But it’s very tiring to eat the same meal over and over again and difficult to find something that is keto-safe to cook, especially with the heat playing up again. Pages 64 to 68, in particular, were extremely helpful to get inspiration for recipes with a lot of veggies that are easy and filling. Thanks for that!
Floris Walls
AN EAT BETTER FOODS HAMPER WORTH OVER AED500
Eat Better Foods, the natural, plant-based and gluten-free homegrown food brand, is quickly becoming a kitchen staple. On a mission to empower households in making better choices, the brand offers nourishing alternatives to much-loved dishes. Containing no preservatives and additives, Eat Better Food’s Coconut Wraps in original and spinach flavours feature only six components, and make an incredible grain-free and a vegan alternative to standard tortilla wraps; their light Pizza Crust is only 70 calories a piece; and their newest innovation is the Almond Mylk base, an all-natural, dairy alternative made from just almonds. To get you started on your journey towards a healthier lifestyle, Eat Better Foods is offering a hamper filled with goodies such as Original Coconut Wraps, Spinach Coconut Wraps, Frozen Pizza Crusts and Almond Mylk base jars. Find Eat Better Foods at Kibsons, Spinneys and Waitrose.
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@bbcgoodfoodme
Or, you could write to us at: The Editor, BBC Good Food Middle East. Grosvenor Business Tower, Barsha Heights, Office 804 PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE.
4 BBC Good Food Middle East June/July 2021
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