I have noticed that all the TV chefs are talking about 'leftovers' now. Of course they mean Christmas leftovers, but why don't we all think about this all year round? Why don't we think not only about finishing what we've got in the fridge but becoming a bit more creative in the way we eat leftovers? We don't have to eat the same thing two days in a row.
Of course there are things that taste better the next day. Baked things like lasagna, cottage pie, or any gratin have got a better taste with burnt edges from second baking in the oven.
So what do you do with leftover soup, for example? If it's a chunky soup, then I would add a few herbs or spice or extra veg, blitz it with a Bamix, and have it as a smooth soup next day. If some blitzed smooth soup is left, I would cook plain risotto, add the soup in the last stage of cooking, and have it as nice risotto.
If bits of cooked meat is left, I would make stir-fried rice, sandwich with some melting cheese on top, or chop them small and add them to a tomato sauce for pasta. Even if the bits are a small amount, I put them into a very small freezer bags (you can get them from here), and eat them within a month. I have loads of ideas and recipes that I have made either as impromptu or cookbook-inspired meals.
It's a disturbing thing to talk about at Christmas time, but someone told me that 58 billion animals are slaughtered for food worldwide in a year. I also read somewhere that 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted around the world every year. Staggering numbers, eh? And apparently a quarter of the food produced doesn't reach our plate. Large part of the food waste comes from inefficient farming technologies and government policies like quotas, and it's not really our fault as an individual. Even so... I might actually reload this blog as 'Leftover Fun' or something.
Today's recipe is mince pies No.2 (No.1 is here). They are pretty to look at and fun to eat.
Ingredients (for 9 windmills)
450g ready-made puff pastry (100% butter one)
Half a jar of mince (shop-bought or home-made)
1 egg (whisked in a small bowl)
Preheat oven to 190C.
Stretch the pastry to 30cm x 30cm exactly. I use a metal ruler and trim off the rough edges. Cut it into nine 10cm squares.
Put a tablespoon of mince in the centre of each square and brush the edges with beaten egg. Cut four corners by about an inch towards the centre. Lift one flap to the centre. Bring the one after next into the centre and push on to the first one and so on.. Make them look like little windmills.
Roll the trimmed bits into a small sheet and cut out a star shape with a biscuit cutter. Brush the top of the windmills with a bit of egg and stick the stars on top. Brush the surface all over with more egg. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.