Love your leftovers

1. General groceries

Try to always keep a small but well-assorted stock of general groceries like rice, grains, pasta, dried fruits, spices, herbs, sauces, chutneys and tasty oils and vinegars. All these foods have a relatively long shelf life, so you always have something to combine your leftovers with.

2. Small & large amounts

Even if you don’t have enough leftovers for a whole portion, you can still use them. Finely chop leftover meat, fruit and vegetables, for example, and use them for toppings on soupsand salads. Larger quantities of liquids and vegetables can be blended and used as anexcellent base for stews, soups, mashes, purées and pasta sauces.

4. Chunks of cheese

Finely grate dry cheese chunks on a parmesan grater. Soft chunks are far harder tograte, so you’re better off cutting or chopping them coarsely with a sharp knife. If youdon’t feel like chopping or grating yourself, put the chunks in a food processor and chop into small pieces. You can easily mix together several different kinds of cheese. Store the grated or chopped cheese in an airtight container in the fridge, and use when you want to add a creamy flavour to mashed root vegetables, risotto, omelette, béchamel, pizza, pasta, flat bread or vegetables au gratin.

4. Fish

Boiled, fried, steamed or grilled fish can be made into juicy fish cakes the next day. Mix the fish meat together with mayonnaise and finely chopped vegetables. Shape the fish mixture into balls, coat with flour, lightly beaten egg andbreadcrumbs, and fry in plenty of oil until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, usethe fish meat in lasagne or pasta salad.

5. Meat

Cooked and roast chicken, beef, pork or lamb are great for making an extra specialopen sandwich. Try coarsely mashing a boiled potato or root vegetable. Spread itonto a slice of toasted rye bread. Top it off with thin slices of meat, fresh horseradishand a lingonberry or cranberry jam/jelly, for instance. Or use themeat in gratins, hashes or omelettes.

6. Salad dressing

A couple of spoonfuls of fruit chutney that’s been forgotten in a jam jar can beblended with yoghurt and cold-pressed oil. A few seconds later and you have a lovely salad dressing.

7. Breakfast

A portion of boiled rice, couscous or grain from the day before beats muesli orporridge for breakfast any day. Pan-fry the grains until golden and crispy alongwith slices of banana. Serve with yoghurt and sprinkle with cane sugar if desired. Alternatively, liven up your salad, meatballs or vegetable soup witha portion of cooked grains.

9. Diary leftovers

Use leftover milk and yoghurt for lassis, smoothies and bun dough.

10. Cake crumbs

A couple of day-old cookies or the ends of a sponge cake can make an exquisiteeasy dessert. Break the cookies or cake down into crumbs. Cook a few fresh fruitssuch as apples into a thick rustic compote and leave to cool. Layer the compote, crumbs and some whipped cream into tall glasses. Refrigerate the desserts for atleast half an hour before serving.

10. Potatoes

Potatoes from the day before, whether boiled, fried or baked, are one of the mostuseful foods there is in cooking. Mash them into your bread dough where they’ll addmoisture and juiciness. Use them for hashes, omelettes, potato salads and open ryebread sandwiches. And any soup can gain in flavour and texture if you add chopped potatoes or indeed blend chopped potatoes in.