How to turn those dinner ‘extras’ into another night’s creative centerpiece | Where NOLA Eats
It’s important to be able to incorporate last night’s leftovers into new meals. This avoids waste and is easy on the budget. Every time I think of waste, I think of my frugal grandmother.
So I’m always looking for ways to use it all up. Much has been written about how to plan for leftovers, but it’s difficult because you never know what’s left.
These recipes are flexible, which means you have plenty of room to use what you have left over. A well-stocked pantry and freezer can also make a difference.
One of the ingredients for a quick dinner is the egg. Eggs are great on their own, but they’re also a great way to stretch other things. The recipe in this column stretches out the leftover smoked sausage and tomato sauce if you have it.
But if you had leftover shrimp creole, heavy in the sauce with just a few shrimp left over, you could use that for our Eggs in Purgatory recipe, just adding a little more sauce from the pantry if needed.
The second standby is the fried chicken. You can find them in any grocery store these days. I’ve even seen baked chicken pieces available at some stores so you can buy extra drumsticks or other family favorites.
A salad can have different components each time you prepare it, so its versatility is undeniable.
And the frozen strawberry and whipped cream dessert is so easy and refreshing. You can spice it up with off-season frozen fruit from the store or your own frozen fruit. Make it first before the rest of the meal and store in the freezer. By the time you’ve got the wine glasses out, it should be soft enough to serve.
**************
asian chicken salad
For 4 to 6 people
½ a small kale, shredded
½ red cabbage, grated
1 Chinese cabbage, grated
1 cup Thai basil leaves (or substitute Italian basil)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated or julienned
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 spring onions, chopped with the white part and the green part
3 cups shredded chicken, either rotisserie chicken or baked chicken thighs
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 serving of sesame ginger dressing
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
1. In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, basil leaves, peppers, carrots, cucumber, green onions, chicken and peanuts.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. (If you have leftover cooked vegetables, you can add them. Just make sure to cut them into small pieces.)
3. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve.
************************
Sesame ginger dressing
1/3 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup tahini
1 bunch coriander stalks, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of honey
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If it thickens, continue blending. If needed, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to dissolve.
2. Pour over the salad and toss.
******************************
Eggs in Purgatory
Makes 4 one-egg servings
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups canned tomato passata
1 bay leaf
Protein options: 1 chopped smoked sausage, 5 shrimp, a piece of fried chicken, chopped
Vegetable options (about ½ cup): corn, peas, spinach, potatoes, or zucchini
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
1. Heat olive oil in a pan.
2. When the oil begins to shimmer, about five minutes, add the onion and garlic. Cook for seven minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the peppers and cook for another five minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and leftover protein. Stir to incorporate. Boil five minutes.
5. Add the vegetables. Stir to incorporate. Cook for five minutes or until tomato sauce is bubbling around the edges.
6. Break the eggs one at a time into a small bowl. Break the egg into the simmering tomato sauce. Repeat until all four eggs are evenly distributed in the tomato sauce.
7. Put a lid on the pan and cook until eggs are ready to taste. Four minutes if you want them to be a little runny and longer if you want firmer eggs.
8. Serve each person an egg and use a spoon to scoop the sauce with the egg.
(Follow directions for individual servings, but do not add eggs. Divide tomato mixture evenly among 4 ramekins. Place 1 egg in each ramekin and place ramekins in a 400 degree oven until eggs are just tender are cooked how you like them.)
9. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on the table with hot sauce.
**********************************************
Frozen strawberries and cream
4 servings
3 cups frozen strawberries
½ cup) sugar
1 cup cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Just under 1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Place the strawberries and sugar in a food processor and process until the strawberries are chopped.
2. Add heavy cream, vanilla and salt and process until mixture is smooth and thick.
3. Scrape the mixture into a loaf pan and cover with a piece of cling film.
4. Place in the freezer for about an hour or while it is prepping and eating.
5. To serve, leave for a few minutes to soften slightly. Serve in wine glasses.
Liz Williams is the founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans. Listen to Tip of the Tongue, Liz’s podcast about food, drink and culture, wherever you listen to podcasts.
