Great ‘how to use up old booze’ hunt

FrugalWorker

I've some new ones to add to the list (mainly the deserts)

Soup, when I make soup after frying off the onion/garlic and deglace the pan with some alcohol. Depends what the soup is and what's lying around - just a spash. E.g. I've used pernod with fenel soup,

Stews/bolognese - wine/whiskey/stout in stews
Bread - beer (never tried this, but on my list)
ham boiled in cider - even some added to the water. Use this in part as stock - can be a bit sweet, so not all in the one soup, or at least taste.
Stir fries - where you'd use mirin in making sauces - use sherry.


Sweet options - my favourites....
pears poached in red wine with mulled wine spices - cinnamon, star anise, cloves, etc..
plums pan fried in butter, rosemary and brandy
vodka added to sorbets - higher freezing temp, prevents ice. E.g. Rasberry + vodka, or pear
Apricots roasted with amereto poured over
Sherry cake (choc chip biscuits dipped/soaked in sherry stuck together with cream and topped off with cream) - not very cheap, but really tasty, great for parties.
Creme cassis or other liqueur poured straight over ice-cream for dessert
Champagne jelly (not tried this yet..)
Gin and tonic jelly ( not tried this yet - from Nigella Lawson)
Griddled pineapple with rum. Add an extra splash of run to whipped cream and add some desicated coconut. - feels like holidays.

Wow! I sound like an alcho, but I hardly drink anything. I might share a can of beer with my BF.

babyshoes

I always add a splash of port or sherry to gravy, even if it is just bisto.

Made a delish pork in cider casserole today - pork shoulder, onions, veg, can of cheapo cider, seasoning, flour/cornflour to thicken and some herbs. Dip meat in flour and brown, then add other ingredients. Can add a little cornflour to thicken if desired. Cook in oven on low for a couple of hours. Yummy!

Brandy and fruit sauce for duck breasts is good - try plums, physalis or damsons.

If making ice cream with liquer, be careful to stir more often during freezing as the alcohol can separate into a slushy layer at the bottom.

schiff

This is so cheap it's ridiculous. Do Birds Eye still do the strawberry jam and cream sponge cake? And Del Monte the tins of fruit cocktail?

Four goblet shaped glasses. Chop the sponge cake and line each glass to about an inch or two. Add sherry or any liqueur left-over to soak the sponge. Cover with an inch layer of the fruit cocktail. Whip some fresh cream and pour delicately over the fruit to half an inch from the top. Sprinkle with dry roasted almonds.

enchilada

DP just moved in and we combined our drinks collections, but we now have 3 full bottles of Smirnoff we're never going to drink. Any ideas?

FrugalWorker wrote: »

vodka added to sorbets - higher freezing temp, prevents ice. E.g. Rasberry + vodka, or pear

This sounds good, and would be particularly interested to hear of any possible gift ideas!

FrugalWorker

enchilada wrote: »

DP just moved in and we combined our drinks collections, but we now have 3 full bottles of Smirnoff we're never going to drink. Any ideas?



This sounds good, and would be particularly interested to hear of any possible gift ideas!

Have you considered flavoured vodka?
http://ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/50-unique-and-not-so-unique-flavors-to-infuse-vodka/2013/06/04/

I've heard of this being done with skittles or toffees.

I'm not really a drinker, so not one I've tried.