Spring Cleaning the Freezers - 52 days on £70

Mrs_Cheshire

Does anyone have any good recipes for using polenta and gram flour. Both could do with being used as they are past their best before.

YorksLass

Mrs Cheshire - I don't have any recipes for polenta but here's two for gram flour that you might like.

Flatbreads:
9 oz (255g) gram flour
2 pinches salt
1 pinch black pepper
14 fluid ounces (400 ml) cold water

Mix all the ingredients together and leave overnight at room temperature. Cook next day as you would for pancakes.

Pancakes:
5 oz (142g) gram flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (or dried oregano or thyme)
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 fresh green chillies, finely chopped (de-seeded if you don't want it too hot)
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I cheat and use garlic puree)
2 tsp coriander
Vegetable oil (for cooking)

Mix the ingredients together into a batter. Heat the oil in a frying pan, pour in a small amount of batter to make a pancake. Repeat until mixture has all been used.

Other Uses:
Use instead of breadcrumbs when you want to coat something, eg chicken, fish etc or for making vegetable pakoras, bhajis etc. Widely used in Indian cookery, gluten free and a good source of protein. It's also a good substitute for egg in recipes that require a batter eg French toast, fritters.

Suffolk_lass

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

Does anyone have any good recipes for using polenta and gram flour. Both could do with being used as they are past their best before.

This bhaji recipe will use up some of your gram flour - you can substitute other vegetables but I prefer onions, closely followed by cauliflower http://http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/onion-bhaji-recipe

joedenise

Polenta makes a good substitute for breadcrumbs. I've used the course polenta in this way. The fine polenta still works but isn't as crunchy. I always bake not fry food so don't know if that makes a difference as I'm not sure whether it would stay on when frying as it doesn't stick quite as well as breadcrumbs.

Denise

Mrs_Cheshire

Thank you for the ideas, I'm planning a curry tomorrow so will try the bhaji recipe.

greenbee

I have used up the remains of my polenta and ground rice by adding small quantities to my porridge... I know it sounds odd, but it wasn't really noticeable.

abbe89

What a fantastic challenge XSpender, and you're doing so well!

I also have a freezer and cupboards full - so need to work my way through them as well!

So last night I defrosted 2 chicken breasts and 2 pots of homemade stock - to make cream of chicken and leek soup. I also used up a rouge bouquet garni that's been in my cupboard for years.

Next on the cooking list this weekend is a thai green curry. Will use up some old coconut milk tins, the dregs of a thai green curry paste jar and also some frozen veg - spinach in particular.

I too have a lot of desiccated coconut so maybe I could add some of that in as well!

shanks77

XSpender wrote: »

Lost my post as MSE has asked me to change my password, first time ever!



I can see the Weetabix hanging around the longest. DH bought them for breakfasts on SW but he is not a breakfast eater, I can't eat them as they contain gluten and DS doesn't like them. DS loves brownies though so will have a look)

Would any of your family eat a Weetabix loaf? It's a bit like a tea loaf with sultanas etc in it, quite easy to make and tbh I can't tell that's there is Weetabix in it. Let me know and I will post the recipe if you want

Mrs_Cheshire

shanks77 wrote: »

Would any of your family eat a Weetabix loaf? It's a bit like a tea loaf with sultanas etc in it, quite easy to make and tbh I can't tell that's there is Weetabix in it. Let me know and I will post the recipe if you want

I'd love the recipe, always trying to think of new baking ideas and we have loads of sultanas to use after hubby was given a catering sized pack.

Didn't end up making the bhaji's today so will pop that on the meal plan for March.

I'm planning on doing some baking tomorrow, but will need to get some more sugar I think unless I use the light soft brown that really needs using. Think I'll do some mincemeat muffins as they went down well last time. some flapjacks and I've got some salted caramel dessert sauce to use up so might do a steamed pudding of sorts with that in the bottom.
I've done lots of baking though and never made a steamed pudding before, anyone got any good recipes.

JingsMyBucket

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

Does anyone have any good recipes for using polenta and gram flour. Both could do with being used as they are past their best before.

Instead of doing spaghetti bolognese, you can cook up polenta and serve the sauce over that. It also works well as a base for any kind sauced greens and/or saut!ed mushrooms. One of my favourite restaurants serves it with a poached egg, greens and bacon crumbled on top as a breakfast dish. It’s absolutely delicious. Polenta was a poor man’s food so it’s extremely versatile.