Recipes: Don’t throw away those leftovers!
Smoked Sausage and Mixed Bean Cassoulet
A speedy supper for midweek, this cassoulet uses store cupboard ingredients which can be served with crusty bread to mop up the sauce or, if you prefer, leftover rice or mashed potato.
Recipe author: Love Food Hate Waste
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
360g pack jumbo frankfurters, sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp tomato purée
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion for 3 minutes, add the sausage and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, beans and tomato purée.
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Serve with salad and crusty bread.
• Cook’s tip
Try using a tin of baked beans for a more child friendly flavour.
• Variations
Canned frankfurters are a good substitute and a useful store cupboard ingredient. Leftover cooked sausages work well too.
• Extra flavour
Add herbs, BBQ sauce or chilli for extra flavour.
• Freezer advice
Freeze ahead in portions for easy ready meals when you’re pressed for time.
• Vegan and vegetarian options
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Hide AdAdd extra vegetables to replace the sausage or use a vegetarian sausage.
Chicken and Vegetable Fajitas
This spicy dish is based on Mexican wraps and a great way to use up left over chicken or turkey. If you have a glut of tomatoes you could also use these instead of the can of chopped tomatoes.
Recipe author: Love Food Hate Waste
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10
COOKING TIME: 12
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp oil
450g (1 lb) mixed vegetables from the fridge or freezer, sliced (e.g. onion, pepper, courgette, mushrooms)
2-3 tsp fajita seasoning
400g can chopped tomatoes
250g (9 oz) leftover roast chicken, shredded
326g pack 8 tortilla wraps
To serve: grated Cheddar cheese and soured cream
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the prepared vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the fajita seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, rinse the can with a dash of water and add to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and heat through.
Warm the tortilla wraps according to pack instructions.
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Hide AdDivide the chicken mixture between the tortillas and roll up. Serve with grated cheese from the fridge and soured cream.
• Cook’s tip
Try using a pack of prepared stir fry vegetables to avoid wastage.
• Use up
Use up leftover vegetables in the fridge
• Variations
Swap the chicken for leftover roast turkey, beef, lamb or pork. Use fresh tomatoes instead of canned.
• Extra flavour
Any spicy seasoning mix can be used such as Jamaican jerk, Cajun etc
• Freezer advice
Not suitable for freezing.
• Vegan and vegetarian options
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Hide AdReplace the meat with extra vegetables and a can of kidney beans
Pear Tray Bake
This scrumptious desert is an ideal way to help use a glut of summer fruits like pears, apples or plums. Serve hot or warm with cream, ice cream or crème fraiche.
Recipe author: Love Food Hate Waste
SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
150g (5oz) butter, softened
150g (5oz) light brown muscovado sugar
3 medium eggs
150g (5oz) self raising flour
2 ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored (350g)
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180oC, gas mark 4. Grease and base line a 22cm square tin.
Whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time and whisk to incorporate. Gently fold in the flour.
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Hide AdSpread the cake mixture in the base of the tin and gently press the pears into the mixture evenly. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and the sponge is cooked.
• Cook’s tip
Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top before cooking to give a crunchy texture.
• Use up
Use up the glut of fruit from the garden or when cheaper when in season.
• Variations
Replace the pears with plums or apples
• Extra flavour
Add ground ginger or cinnamon for extra flavour
• Freezer advice
Cut into portions and freeze.
Creamy Mushroom Tagliatelle
A simple creamy mushroom sauce mixed with pasta. You can use whatever mushrooms you have available and then serve with your favourite pasta. If you have any leftover ham, you could also add that to dish as well.
Recipe author: Love Food Hate Waste
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
300g (11 oz) mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
250g (9 oz) tagliatelle or pasta of your choice
200g pack low fat soft cheese
25g pack parsley, chopped
METHOD:
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Hide AdHeat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in boiling water for 8 minutes until tender, (or according to the on pack instructions) Drain.
Stir the soft cheese into the mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes the stir into the tagliatelle with the parsley. Season to taste.
• Cook’s tip
Any shape of pasta can be used depending on what is in the cupboard.
• Use up
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• Variations
Soured cream or crème fraiche can be used instead of soft cheese.
• Extra flavour
Try using dried mushrooms for an extra rich flavour – just soak according to the packet’s instructions. before you add to the dish.
• Freezer advice
Not suitable.
Savoury scones
These savoury scones are great with soups and stews. They’re best served warm with a blob of melting butter.
Recipe author: Love Food Hate Waste
SERVES: 12
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20-25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
450g/1lb self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g/9oz mixed carrots and courgettes
100g/3 ½ oz butter
100g/3 ½ oz hard cheese
5 tbsp milk
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
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Hide AdSift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter. Grate the cheese and stir it into the mixture.
Peel the carrots and grate them. Trim the courgettes and grate them – no need to peel them. Pat the vegetables dry with kitchen towel and stir them into the mixture.
Add the milk, a little at a time, to bring the ingredients together as a soft dough. You may not need to use all the milk.
Turn the mixture onto a floured board and pat it out to a thickness of around 2.5cm/1in. Cut it into rounds and bake on a greased baking tray for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.
• Cook’s tip
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Hide AdDon’t twist the pastry cutter when you cut the dough into circles as this can distort the shape of the scones when they rise. Cheese that has gone a little hard is fine in this recipe.
• Use up
Carrots, courgettes, cheese
• Variations
Grated parsnips, pumpkin and beetroot also work well in this recipe, but don’t add more than 250g/9oz of vegetables in total to the dough mixture.
• Extra flavour
Sprinkle with a little extra cheese or dust with cayenne before baking.
• Freezer advice
Can be frozen after baking. Allow to defrost slowly, and reheat in the oven to serve.