The Recycled Cook

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Confit Recycling does not just mean using leftovers it also means taking something you have previously cooked and turning it into another, often even tastier, dish. For example, w hen you roast a whole Chicken, Guinea foul, Duck or any game bird you will sometimes be left with the legs, having used the breasts previously.  These are perfect for making a completely new meal worthy of any bistro. A great example of this is a "Confit", a common term for food that has been preserved, traditionally in duck or goose fat and stored in a cool place. Confit comes from the French word Confir (to preserve) and is one of the oldest ways to preserve food, a speciality of southwestern France. If you are a purist you may want to use this traditional method, it will keep perfectly well for several months, covered and kept in a cool place. Just place the meat in a suitable container or bowl, gently melt the Duck or Goose fat, bring...

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Amazing L entils So what else can we make with that delicious home made stock ? I used to think that lentils was a dish exclusively designed for vegetarians, uninteresting and boring until, thanks largely to Jamie Oliver , I discovered that they could be a sensational way to use up leftovers and be a great staple alternative to rice, pasta or even potatoes.  Ingredients: 2 Litres of chicken or vegetable stock (home made if available ) A packet of ready to cook green "Puy" lentils (otherwise you will have to soak them overnight) 1 medium onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped 2 bay Leaves, salt and pepper for seasoning, mixed spices (see tips). A small tub of Creme Fresh or single cream (optional) Some chopped fresh herbs for topping   Method: Once again s tart off with Olive oil in a large saucepan or Wok, ( I Like to use a wok for this dish it just feels right someho...

The Recycled Cook Mushroom Risotto The first thing you need for a good Risotto is a decent  stock  you can use  what we made previously or one of the wide range available in supermarkets.   There are of course many variation on Risotto, it is a great way to use up any combination of leftover vegetables and meat or simply keep it vegetarian. pre-cook any raw ingredients if you think they will not cook through in the risotto itself, particularly any raw meat.  To start we will make  basic Risotto Blanco, the base for all Risotto. To start with you will need to fry off what the Italians call a "Sofrito" , a mix of finely chopped carrot, celery, onion and garlic. I substituted Parsnip for carrot as I had no carrots this time. Olive oil will do nicely but to really bring out the flavour of the mushrooms use truffle oil. Once you have fried off the "Sofrito" add the rice and fry until it starts to look clear. At this point yo...

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Some basic tips H ere are a few simple ideas which will get you thinking along the lines of recycling food and hopefully you will not only enjoy some great flavours but will save some money in the process. Containers This might seem like a strange place to start but if you are going to think like    a recycled cook then you will need somewhere to store it . Take those li d ded plastic boxes that your takeaway Indian and Chinese food comes in, don't just throw them away, rinse them th oroughly and put them in your dishwasher. Perfect for keeping thos e leftover bits and pieces in your fridge or freezer. Breadcrumbs We all have bread from time to time that goes stale ( by stale I mean dry NOT mouldy) . Stale bread makes great breadcrumbs so just chop up the bread into manageable chunks (crusts and all) and blitz in the food processor.  I use an old coffee grinder which makes amazing breadcrumbs . Put the crumbs...

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Making Stock I have already touched on this but the cornerstone of any recycled cooking has to be the stock pot. Whether it is meat or fish, nothing ta stes as good  as home made stock.  It might seem a strange thing to do when stock is readily avai lable in cube s, jars and tubes but the  effort is worth it. Some supermarkets now actually sell fresh stock too at a premium price. There is no comparison between shop bought stock and home made and you have the added benefit of knowing precisely what has gone into your home made variety . The Stock Pot If you have a large enough cooker you cou ld do what the professionals do, have a large pot available to put an y trimmings from meat or vegetables into as you cook. Obviously this is not always a practical situation in a domestic kitchen but regardless, making your own stoc k will tra nsform the flavou r of your food and minimise was tage. Making stock Obviousl...