The Recycled Cook

Pickled Quince Two good friends of mine, Ros and Gary, gave me some quinces recently which I have never prepared before although but I have often had quince jelly (known as Membrillo in Spain) which goes particularly well with hard cheese, especially a nice mature Manchego.  I have to say that Ros's quince jelly is as good as any I have tried in Spain. Knowing I couldn't improve on that that I decided to try pickling them instead, something which I have done quite a lot of recently as it is a great way of preserving food and adds an interesting accompaniment to dishes. The first thing to do is to prepare your pickling liquid. In a saucepan pour in some apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar or half and half (allow approximately 3 cups of vinegar per pound of fruit). Add two teaspoons of pink or black pepper corns, a tablespoon of juniper berries and two bay leaves. Bring this to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes to infuse the flavours. Take off the heat...

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...