Recipe Corner: Everything in a frying pan
Photo: Snædís Björnsdóttir
Translation: Victoria Bakshina
Despite being aware of the bad consequences of food waste, for the earth as well as for the wallet, it can be difficult to take advantage of all the food in the fridge. What can we do when we have been a bit too ambitious in grocery shopping or have a difficult week and forget to eat? Or when we are rarely at home to be able to cook? Or when we simply don’t know what we are supposed to prepare? We at the Student Paper know all these struggles well and have compiled a few tips and one recipe to help you take advantage of the vegetables that are about to go bad.
● Search for the right recipes: If we would like to take advantage of leftovers and vegetables, it’s good to look for recipes using what we already have, instead of looking up dishes and buying everything for them.
● Cook the trimmed parts: Instead of throwing away the parts we cut off our produce, you can store them in the freezer and create a vegetable broth that will be useful for sauces and soups. Peel and stalks are very nutritious, and, therefore, it’s a sin to lose those minerals.
● Store it right: If vegetables and fruits are stored properly it can extend their lifespan considerably, there are countless instructions on the internet about it.
● Use old tomatoes: When tomatoes become soft it is perfect to take advantage of them in a frying pan - or an oven-cooked dish, make a soup or even a bruschetta.
● Freeze fresh herbs: We have to buy many fresh herbs, use them a little and observe how they are rotting in the fridge. An innovative way to store them is to cut and freeze them.
● Save the vegetables: To extend the lifespan, we can pickle, dry or freeze vegetables and enjoy them for much longer.
● Make dips: We often have cans of beans accumulating in the dark corner of the pantry, being overlooked. A good way to take advantage of them is to create dips like hummus. It is good to boil the beans for 3 minutes and throw them in icy water to stop the cooking time. Then put them into a blender with a pinch of salt and oil. We also recommend trying adding spices and other vegetables like beetroot or sun-dried tomatoes.
Everything in a frying pan
Here’s a recipe to use when cooking must be easy and quick, and there is nothing left but old vegetables. It is also very easy to change it and add something else that is available.
One does not need to use precise measurements. It’s best to use your own head but this recipe is intended for two adults.
Ingredients:
Mynd: Snædís Björnsdóttir
7-10 small potatoes
5 large carrots
A handful of mushrooms
Several tomatoes
Half a cucumber
Pasta of your choice
Salt, pepper and smoked paprika
Dressing and decoration of your choice
Preparation:
Cut all the vegetables while the water is boiling for the pasta. It is good to cut the potatoes and carrots (it is possible to add any root vegetables) into small pieces so that they fry faster.
Boil the pasta for two, though keep in mind that there will be an awful lot of saturated root vegetables in the dish.
While the pasta is boiling, fry the root vegetables in the fat of your choice, oil and/or margarine, and season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to your taste.
When the root vegetables have become soft, you can add mushrooms into the pan and a bit of spice and fat.
When the pasta is ready and the vegetables have become crispy, you can put them on plates.
Put pasta, fried vegetables, cucumbers and tomatoes mixed on each plate.
Pour over dressing, it depends on what is available at home at the moment, we used some balsamic vinegar.
Finally, you can add a little flavored decoration, e.g., grated cheese, nuts or seeds.
Enjoy!