reduce waste love your leftovers

Use up what’s left of our midweek meals

Pomegranate salsa

Finely chop any leftover mint from the pittas and put in a bowl with any leftover pomegranate seeds. Add the juice of 1 lime, 3 sliced spring onions, 1 chopped chilli, 1 apple, cored and chopped, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Great with lamb chops, or toasted pittas and feta.

Mackerel fishcakes

Flake any leftover mackerel into chunks, then mix with leftover mashed potato Season well, and add spring onions or peas. Shape into evenly sized patties and chill until ready to use. Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry for 3-5 mins on each side until golden brown.

Baked peperonata eggs

Gently reheat any leftover peperonata in a pan with a glug of olive oil for 2 mins. Make a well in the middle and crack in an egg. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 mins until the whites are set. Serve with toasted sourdough

Pickled daikon

Thinly slice any leftover daikon into half-moons. Combine a large pinch of chilli flakes, 1/2 tbsp sea salt, 21/2 tbsp rice vinegar and 60g caster sugar in a bowl, and toss with the daikon to coat. Leave to pickle for at least 2 hrs. Will keep chilled for up to four days.

3 Ways With Leftover Cabbage

Veggie curry

Cut any leftover cabbage into thick wedges, keeping the base intact to hold the wedges together. Fry in a pan over a medium-high heat until browned on both sides, then add to a meat-free curry. Continue to cook in the curry for 15-20 mins until the cabbage is tender.

Stir-fry

Thinly slice the cabbage, 200g mushrooms and 2 carrots, and fry in a hot wok with a little oil over a high heat for 4 mins until softened. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves and grate in a thumb-sized piece of ginger. Cook for 2-3 mins until fragrant. Stir in a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil and pinch of sugar to taste.

Colcannon

Roughly chop any remaining cabbage, season well and fry over a medium heat with a knob of butter until softened, for about 6-8 mins. Stir through mashed potatoes and 3 sliced spring onions, and season to taste.

TOM KERRIDGE