Rechauffe cooking….

It would be interesting to know how many of you clicked on this article as, like me, you had absolutely no idea what ‘rechauffe’ cooking actually means!! Are you thinking an amazing new technique of cooking that will revolutionise your meals??

Actually, it’s a technique that’s been around for time immemorial….

The art of re-heating left-over food to be used as is or converting it into a new dish for example left-over sprouts/cabbage and potato into bubble and squeak. It’s a way of saving money, less time and of course less waste.

Basic Steps

• Plan Ahead – If you have bought larger chicken/joint of meat, plan the next meal based on the surplus. Could be a risotto, rissoles, stew, soup, curried chicken/lamb etc
• Rechauffe vegetables – Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, brussel sprouts,green beans, potatoes etc can all be re-used as a base or to bulk out.
• Surplus Eggs – All cooked in one go, so saving energy, can be used in sandwiches, devilled, scotch eggs, curries, au gratin, florentine, mornay, as a snack!
• Excess Meat – So versatile, all of the above as well as bolognese, thinly sliced cold.
• Rice and Pasta – can be easily re-heated or used in fried rice, both can be used cold in salads, again a perfect way to save cooking costs.
• Surplus Bread – can be made into breadcrumbs, used in bread and butter pudding, sliced and baked as croutons, or spray oil mixed with garlic for a fabulous garlic bread crust.
• Fruit – Stewed and frozen, perfect for summer pudding with leftover bread, overnight oats, delicious served hot with sweetened yoghurt or custard.
• Stocks and Sauces – Make extra to re-use in soup, casserole, stews, plain sauce as a base for parsley sauce, cheese sauce,, bechamel, mustard or as a fish sauce for a fish pie with leftover mashed potato!

Now we have the basics, time to be thinking about what you could create, especially now with the energy and cost of living crisis. We look forward to hearing your ideas in the comments…….

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

maya angelou