Store cupboard challenge

shopaholictiedtheknot

pie81 wrote: »

I am not sure what this is but think Umeboshi are Japanese plums, possibly pickled or fermented??

If so then basically you have a fruity puree, possibly slightly sour or alcohol-y.

It would be nice made into a sauce for duck or lamb or pork (they all go well with sweet fruit). Or possibly (with sugar added) included in a fruit crumble, tart or pie? though only it if you happen to be making one of these anyway.

Yes that is what it is, I hadn't thought of a sauce will try that thanks

ragz_2

Originally Posted by pie81
Any ideas as to how to cook two rabbit legs?? need to clear out the freezer as we are moving and these have sat there for ages (I have never cooked rabbit, no idea what I was thinking!)

Thanks!

You won't get a lot of meat off a couple of legs. I'd wrap in foil and roast (maybe with some herbs/garlic) then strip meat off and put in a pie with veggies and a garlic/mustard white sauce.

Tibbie's_mum

lynzpower wrote: »

For the person asking about jar of cherries, I too have some of these in and aim to make http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cherryclafoutis_11537.shtml

Many thanks Lynz, I too have a jar of cherries that have been in my cupboard for quite a while and have always been meaning to look for a clafoutis recipe. Now I have no excuse!

lizzyshep

I feel really committed to saving money this year and am doing quite well do far. I have a bit of a storecupbaord/freezer 'habit', in that I buy things then don't use them. As a result I have enough food to feed an army - all my cupboards are full, I have a fridge-freezer as well as a chest freezer, and I live alone!

Anyway, most of January's meals are coming from things I already have, and I'm trying hard not to buy things in until I've used stuff up (though I was very tempted by some reduced beef in the supermarket today). I also want to defrost my freezers before I do another big shop. I've got a few things that have been in there ages, but I'm not sure what to do with them, can anyone give me ideas for meals to make from the following? I eat pretty much everything. I also have various fresh and frozen veg, as well as most storecupboard basics. (I would prefer not to make soup as I have loads of that in the freezer too!)

Leftover chopped aubergine (raw)
Okra
Various beans (butter, soya, mung, pinto, mixed, black)
Paneer
Mozzarella
Salami
Garlic sausage
Black pudding
Sprats
Squid
Mackerel
Cooked prawns
Swordfish
Pollack
Duck
Tempeh pieces
Quorn chunks, mince and 'bacon' bits
'Beef' chunks (vegetarian)

Thanks!

CCP

lizzyshep wrote: »

I feel really committed to saving money this year and am doing quite well do far. I have a bit of a storecupbaord/freezer 'habit', in that I buy things then don't use them. As a result I have enough food to feed an army - all my cupboards are full, I have a fridge-freezer as well as a chest freezer, and I live alone! Yes, me too!

Leftover chopped aubergine (raw) - I've got a load of aubergines myself at the moment, too (the old problem with online shopping - I thought I'd bought one aubergine, but it turned out to be one bag of aubergines :rolleyes:). I'm doing aubergine parmigiana (baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella - lovely stuff!), and an aubergine curry - you could add the paneer if you fancied.
Okra - pass. Can't stand the stuff, personally! _pale_
Various beans (butter, soya, mung, pinto, mixed, black) - mixed bean chilli? You could add Quorn mince if you fancied a more standard chilli con carne. Or use some of the salami to do a variation on the classic bean and chorizo stew.
Paneer - it's got to be a curry, either with aubergine (as above) or on it's own - rogan josh (tomatoey) style is good with paneer, imo.
Mozzarella - use in a pasta bake, make a pizza (with some of the salami or garlic sausage, possibly?), or just put in a sandwich with salad if it's good quality stuff.
Salami - covered above.
Garlic sausage - in pasta or on a pizza, or in sandwiches (probably not if you're in company, though! )
Black pudding - I'm not keen myself, but I've seen it on restuarant menus in a warm salad with cooked potatoes and a poached egg, which sounds interesting.
Sprats - pass, I've never had them.
Squid - my first thought is paella, with some of the cooked prawns, or as a seafood stew. I'm sure there's lots of other things you can do, though.
Mackerel - I tried a nice devilled mackerel dish a few months ago - I'll look up the recipe for you, if you're interested?
Cooked prawns - there's lots of things you can do with prawns, but I still reckon you can't beat a good prawn mayo sarnie!
Swordfish - no idea - I've only ever eaten it bbq'd - very nice, but probably not at this time of year!
Pollack - fish pie, with some of the prawns?
Duck - is this a whole one, or pieces? A whole one could be a good roast dinner, with leftovers for something the next day. I don't know what you'd do with duck pieces, though.
Tempeh pieces - what are these, please?
Quorn chunks, mince and 'bacon' bits - pies, casseroles, chilli, spag bol... there's lots of things you can do with quorn, after all.
'Beef' chunks (vegetarian) - 'beef' pie or stew? It will be nice and warming, if nothing else.

Thanks!

Does any of that help?

lizzyshep

Yes, that's given me some great ideas! Thanks so much for taking the time to post. I'll have a look through my recipe books and see what I can find, believe it or not I've never made a pie (that's what you get for years of dieting, I'm done with all that nonsense now!) so a 'beef' pie sounds lovely. I could use the duck too as it's just a small piece and this would be a good way of using it up. Maybe I can put mushrooms in too.

Tempeh is like tofu - I got it from my local health food shop. I've never had it before either!

I also think paneer and aubergine curry and mixed bean/Quorn chilli will be on this/next week's menu, and I'll have a look for a nice paella recipe as I've never made this either. I was planning to make pizza to use up some flour and mixed frozen peppers, so I'll put some mozzarella and salami on it too.

The devilled mackerel sounds very nice, I'd love the recipe if it's not too much trouble.

By the way, am I the only one who gets an odd sense of satisfaction from using everything up? I get the same thing when I use up shampoo, body lotion etc - think it's because I can then buy nice new things to replace them!

CCP

That's no problem at all. I've been ill for the past three weeks and completely lost my appetite, so I'm currently really enjoying the recovery of my usual interest in (or possibly obsession with ) food.

My favourite use for tofu is in a Thai-style curry sauce, with vegetables and rice noodles (and sometimes prawns, too), with a squeeze of lemon juice over the top. It's based on something I had in Wagamama years ago, and it's still one if my favourite comfort foods.

The recipe for devilled mackerel was from the BBC Good Food website - unfortunately the site doesn't seem to be working at the moment, but I'll post the link for you when I can get into it.

That's typical - as soon as I posted that, the sit started working again. The devilled mackerel recipe is here - hope you like it!

I agree with you about the pleasure of buying new things, anyway. I'm currently emptying out my freezer so I can de-ice it, and then fill it up again!

lizzyshep

That looks lovely, I might even have it for dinner tonight as I have all the other ingredients! Sorry to hear you've been ill, hope you recover soon.

lizzyshep

Right, mixed bean chilli is simmering away, that's used up some of the frozen beans, Quorn mince, mixed peppers and mushrooms, and I found half a tin of baked beans in the fridge so chucked them in too for extra flavour.

Now I wonder if anyone can help me with the half (large) jar of sauerkraut I also found in the fridge! I bought this for a recipe which wasn't very nice so don't want to make that again, but I have no idea what else I can do with it.

lynzpower

No idea on the sauerkraut sorry I know some people put it in sandwiches ( its not for me! )

Im v impressed as OH made tortillas *ie made the tortillas by hand* and did reggae reggae marinarded chicken & veg. Very nice indeed!

Ive got toothache and a dodgy tooth so I am not making a pudding tonight :eek: although the ferrero rocher are calling me from Xmas - must resist.

Spent 12.00 today mainly on bread ( I cant do brown in the BM) and crisps & peanut drums reduced in sainsburys and a bit of veg. I have managed to get some stuff from work ( I often clear out buildings) and got some cleaning stuff and loads of bin bags. Should save me a few bob. :beer: