Doggie Bag Leftovers
There are some people who refuse to eat leftovers of any sort. Not me. I look at them as pieces of a puzzle to be put together to create something healthy, exciting, and deliciously different. Consider it a creative food experience. Throw me some leftover chicken, mashed potatoes or steamed broccoli and I’ll throw back a chicken salad made with fennel and almonds, potato pancakes heavy on the onions and a pasta dish using the broccoli and some defrosted pesto sauce I always keep in the freezer.
Most of us have leftovers in our refrigerator Some of it is from what we’ve prepared at home while other bits and pieces come from restaurants carried back in a “doggie bag.”
The term “doggie bag” originated in our country during WWII. Back then, it was referred to the bones and scrapes from a restaurant meal which were more suitable for a dog than a person. Over time, however, American portions grew to a point that it was literally impossible for a diner to finish it in one sitting. That is, unless you happen to be a linebacker. Now, it has become socially acceptable to ask for a container or box for bringing home any leftovers. In fact, doggie bag is now a considered an old-fashioned term.
Recycled Sheperd’s Pie
Working with leftovers rarely requires a recipe. Instead, it’s all about looking around in your kitchen and seeing which ingredients are at hand which can be incorporated into a new dish. For example, the other day I had lunch at an English pub and brought home some leftover Shepherd’s Pie. The following day, I cut up into small cubes equal amounts of celery, fennel, carrots, and Vidalia onions—basically a mirepoix—and sautéed everything together in olive oil for 5 minutes. I put a half cup of this mixture in the bottom of a small enamel baking dish and then topped it with the leftover ground lamb and mash potatoes. I popped it into a 350⁰ F oven for twenty minutes, then added some grated Pecorino cheese on top and continued to bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese was melted. The leftover mirepoix was used the following day for a frittata.
Panzanella my way
As a baguette—as well as just about any type of bread—has such a short lifespan, I normally take any leftover slices and turn them into croutons. Just cut the bread into one-inch cubes and bake them in a 375⁰F oven for 10 minutes flipping the cubes after 5 minutes to encourage even baking. The croutons will keep in an air-tight jar for two weeks or frozen for two months.
Some people coat their croutons with olive oil and various herbs before baking, however, I prefer to keep mine plain. This way I can toss them into a salad, add as a topping to soup, for use for making a stuffing. Another use is to pulverize the croutons in a food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs.
In this recipe, I added the croutons to my version of Panzanella, or tomato bread soup. As a base, I cut several small tomatoes in half, topped each with pieces of a fresh sheep and goat cheese which had been cured in olive oil. I used this same oil which was also favored with herbs and garlic for drizzling over the tomatoes before baking them in a 350 ⁰ F oven for 20-25 minutes. Once golden brown, the tomatoes were pulled out and allowed to come to room temperature. Then, they went into a medium size bowl to which was added some leftover baked zucchini slices, some Castelvetrano olives, and a generous handful of croutons. These ingredients were mixed together along with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a final seasoned with salt, pepper and a grating of lemon rind. Allow the Panzanella to sit for 5 minutes so that the croutons can soak up the juices from the tomatoes. Serve in a soup bowl.
Serves: Both recipes serve one….me! Obviously, these dishes can be scaled up depending on the quantity of leftovers. That’s the fun of it. Exploring what you have brought home in your doggie bag and recycling it with ingredients from your kitchen is part of the adventure. Not only are you being smart by cutting down on food waste and saving money, but you are also encouraging your culinary creativity to flow. Don’t be afraid to take the challenge.
Wine recommendation: Whatever is leftover in your refrigerator!