These are all about taking the spoils of the weekend, whether or not that’s leftovers from Sunday lunch, the bits you couldn’t end from a takeaway or the final scraps from a celebration unfold, and stretching them out to make joyous weekday lunches. I’m concentrating on concepts, reasonably than recipes as such, as a result of utilizing up the chances and ends from the fridge must be a part of the movement of your cooking to keep away from waste. Every little thing is fast, straightforward, includes minimal prep and, crucially, is endlessly open to adaptation.
Leftover naan with egg, chilli crisp, chutney and spring onion (pictured prime)
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 15 min
Serves 1
1 medium egg
Leftover naan or roti, or frozen paratha cooked from frozen in a dry frying pan for a few minutes
1 spring onion and/or contemporary herbs – coriander is ideal
Chutney, resembling mango, raita, mint, lime pickle
Chilli crisp – I like Laoganma
Deliver a small pan of water to a boil, then add the egg and set a timer for six and a half minutes. (To avoid wasting time, boil and peel just a few eggs, then maintain them in a sealed container within the fridge, the place they’ll be tremendous for 3 days.)
In the meantime, sprinkle a bit water over the leftover naan and stick it underneath the grill for a minute on either side, to wake it up a bit. (In case you are utilizing frozen paratha, take away from the packaging and put instantly into a big, sizzling frying pan and prepare dinner as per the packet directions.)
Finely slice the spring onion and roughly chop the herbs, if utilizing. Unfold some chutney over the naan, then peel and quarter the boiled egg and organize it on prime. Add the spring onion, herbs, if utilizing, and chilli crisp, then roll or fold up and eat over a plate.
Leftover greens on toast with cottage cheese, melted chilli jam and toasted seeds
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 10 min
Serves 1
2 tsp olive oil
1 small handful leftover greens (cooked or uncooked), resembling cabbage, inexperienced beans, kale, cauliflower leaves, peas and/or broccoli, all roughly chopped
2 slices bread
2-4 tbsp cottage cheese, or cream cheese or creme fraiche
1 tbsp chilli jelly or jam, or candy chilli sauce
Flaky sea salt
2 tsp toasted blended seeds – toast an entire bag, then retailer in a jar to have handy
Warmth the oil in a big frying pan and add the leftover greens. If they’re already cooked, simply allow them to warmth by means of and char a bit (keep away from the temptation to jiggle them round an excessive amount of); in the event that they’re uncooked, stir-fry with a splash of water till tender, then depart to char. You need sizzling, barely blistered greens that retain their chunk.
In the meantime, toast the bread, then unfold it with the cottage cheese. Pile the new greens on prime, then instantly stir the chilli jam into the empty sizzling pan, add a splash of water and heat by means of for 30 seconds, till the jam liquefies (if utilizing candy chilli sauce, skip this step). Spoon the sauce over the greens, end with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a few toasted blended seeds, and serve sizzling.
Olive, crimson onion and mint salsa with hummus on toast
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 10 min
Serves 1
30g blended olives, pitted and roughly chopped
20g very finely diced crimson onion
A number of mint leaves, roughly chopped
A splash of red-wine vinegar (about ½ tsp)
A number of grinds of black pepper
2 slices bread, resembling seeded sourdough, or crackers, or crudites
Hummus – you’ll want about 1 tbsp per slice of bread
Combine the olives, onion and mint in a small bowl, then stir within the vinegar and black pepper, and put aside whilst you toast the bread.
Unfold the toast with the hummus, pile the olive salsa on prime and eat instantly.