The Recycled Cook

Parma ham and cheese croquettes Well another batch of leftover coquettes today as I had some Potato and  Celeriac mash left over from yesterday's dinner. I also found in the fridge some parma ham which needed using up and some bits of leftover cheese, I keep a box just for these leftover bits  specifically for cooking.  Once again you can use the previously frozen breadcrumbs Remove the fat and chop the Parma ham quite finely,   this could of course be any kind of leftover cured or cooked ham.  Will have to try this with  Carmarthen ham  which is apparently the original Parma ham; the Romans pinched the idea from us Celts. Add the chopped ham to the leftover  was in a large bowl then great in the leftover cheese, I used a mix of three cheeses but one will do fine. Season well with salt and black pepper.  You could add a pinch of chilli powder  if you wanted to spice them up a little Use your imag...

Paella This dish is hugely popular all over Spain as many who have visited the country will know and have enjoyed eating it, but it originates in the province of Valencia from where it gets its name; "Paella" is Valencian for frying pan, the distinctive twin handled pans that are immediately associated with this dish. Paella comes in many varieties, traditionally using rabbit or chicken, shellfish and fresh vegetables, so it is a perfect dish for making using leftovers from the fridge or freezer. I have used a traditional paella pan but a large frying pan, wok or saucepan will do perfectly well If like me you throw out very little food then, with a little imagination, you can make a delicious and authentic homemade Paella. Start off by chopping some onions, red onions work well but whatever you have available, white onions shallots and spring onions all work fine, you could even add some leeks and of course garlic is a must. Add a generous splash of olive oil ...

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Flamenco Eggs The Spanish name for this is "Huevos Flamencos"  and for me this sums up what Mediterranean cooking is all about, flavour and colour. and it is a great dish to have as an alternative to your usual breakfast. It also makes a delicious supper dish. Flamenco on a plate. As with all of my dishes it is not a rigid recipe, is easily adapted depending on what you have left over in your fridge and making a vegetarian option is just a case of substituting the meat for a suitable vegetable, such as Courgette or Aubergine.  Start by sweating off some chopped onion and Chorizo (if using) over a medium heat until softened, then add crushed garlic to taste, being careful not to catch this or it will be bitter. Set aside and keep warm. Next gently mix some eggs, do not over beat as ideally you want a mix of yolk and egg white in the finished dish. This is not after all a "Tortilla"  Chop whatever left over veget...

The Recycled Cook By Adrian Sleeman Fabada Asturiana This is a rustic bean casserole that originated in the Asturia region of Northern Spain. It gets its name from Fava beans that are traditionally used to create this dish although you can use any large white bean. I prefer to use Butter beans as they give a rich creaminess to the dish. If you can find the Spanish variety, usually sold in large glass jars, they are amazing otherwise just use a tin from your supermarket. If you want to be authentic and have patience soak dried beans overnight, personally I don't see the difference. Like all stews there is no fixed recipe and as this is a blog which focuses on using leftover food to create tasty, cost effective dishes it is good to use what you have already got in your fridge. The base of this dish is ham in its various forms, Ham hock, Chorizo, Black pudding (Morzilla) and even bacon if you want. Home made Fabada In a way there are many similarities with Welsh ...