The Back of the Kitchen Cupboard

[Epona]

Unfortunately I don't have a lot in the back of cupboards. I'm not in the habit of keeping loads spare. I went through my tins not long ago and threw out 1 tin of fruit cocktail (I don't even know how that got there) that had blown out.

There's a tin of campbell's cream of celery soup that I have been skirting around for a while - bought 2, had 1 and really didn't like it. Not sure what to do with the remaining one.

 

[mango5]

Badgers Generally that happens in our household but I think that was bought for a particular recipe that was not made, and as it turns out no-one likes the idea of savory preserved lemons anyway. I'm usually quite inventive but have been ignoring that jar probably for 7 years. Stupid since cupboard space is limited.

 

[RubyToogood]

Badgers Generally that happens in our household but I think that was bought for a particular recipe that was not made, and as it turns out no-one likes the idea of savory preserved lemons anyway. I'm usually quite inventive but have been ignoring that jar probably for 7 years. Stupid since cupboard space is limited.

Preserved lemons are rubbish.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Back of the cupboard?

You people need to practice FIFO

I'm a FILO kinda guy.

 

[Epona]

For those with preserved lemons lurking about, I spend quite a lot of time watching that food channel and it seems half the time Jamie Oliver is doing one of his 30 minute meals or whathaveyou he produces a jar of preserved lemons and starts banging on about them - might be worth googling that term with his name and see what recipe ideas pop up!

 

[Ms T]

Preserved lemons are great! What’s wrong with you people?

 

[quimcunx]

I found some minestrone mix and made a sort of minestrone using leftover veg and a past it's best green pepper. It's not very good.

 

[nogojones]

Is 15-year old pasta a goer? Found some lasagne sheets in a tuperware box.

It'll be fine. Waste not...

 

[nogojones]

Unfortunately I don't have a lot in the back of cupboards. I'm not in the habit of keeping loads spare. I went through my tins not long ago and threw out 1 tin of fruit cocktail (I don't even know how that got there) that had blown out.

There's a tin of campbell's cream of celery soup that I have been skirting around for a while - bought 2, had 1 and really didn't like it. Not sure what to do with the remaining one.

maybe use it as the base of a nicer tasting soup

 

[Epona]

OK this one might be entertaining...

I have a LARGE amount of buckwheat - the whole seeds, NOT flour.
Any tried and tested recipes or ideas?

 

[Chz]

Look at Polish recipes for buckwheat. There's "buckwheat milk" that's supposed to be nice if you like that earthy flavour. I can't stand the stuff myself, which was a problem growing up half-Polish.

We actually used the preserved lemons at the back of the cupboard, making a nice chicken thing with ras-al-hanout (or whatever - sounds like a Batman villian).

 

[Mogden]

I'd use preserved lemons in a salsa type thing. So chop them, onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes, or tinned toms if that's all you have to hand, some salt, pepper, pinch of ground cumin, splash of olive oil, assuming the lemons aren't preserved in oil, and a touch of balsamic vinegar or if you've none then use the pickle juice from gherkins or pickled onions. Better on the second and third days.

Or use the lemons in a curry to pad it out and skew the flavour, not too much of the lemon mind, or with a tin of chickpeas, tin of toms, onions, garlic, balsamic, cumin, turmeric, handful of other random spices, seasoned and cooked out for a bit, for a Moroccan-esque chickpea stew. Served with cous cous. V easy and no tagine required.

 

[maomao]

I know cans last a long time past their sell by date but if there's rust on the tin and you can hear the corned beef rattling up and down when you shake the tin that's bad right?

 

[zora]

I opened a jar of peppers yesterday, alas they are not deliciously sweet roasted peppers, but pickled, so they are bitter and salty. Any tips how to use these/make them palatable?

 

[Maggot]

I opened a jar of peppers yesterday, alas they are not deliciously sweet roasted peppers, but pickled, so they are bitter and salty. Any tips how to use these/make them palatable?

I don't know, but you could give them to Peter Piper, I've heard he's quite partial to them.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I opened a jar of peppers yesterday, alas they are not deliciously sweet roasted peppers, but pickled, so they are bitter and salty. Any tips how to use these/make them palatable?

I'd chop them up fine, fry them with a bit of cayenne pepper, mix it into mayonnaise with a bit of mustard and some lemon or lime, and use it as a dip for tortilla chips or as a sauce for a pasta salad.

 

[zora]

I don't know, but you could give them to Peter Piper, I've heard he's quite partial to them.

They are Polish pickled peppers and all!

 

[mwgdrwg]

Needed something sweet, no biscuits left.

I found half a pack of macaroni, and made macaroni pudding.

 

[Cloo]

Mostly wtf can I do with lots of cornflour and coarse semolina that I think were bought for kid craft/ science experiment stuff?

 

[Saunders]

Mostly wtf can I do with lots of cornflour and coarse semolina that I think were bought for kid craft/ science experiment stuff?

Milk puddings.
My dad used to make custard with cornflour, add a pinch of turmeric paprika and salt and a drop or two of vanilla extract. I think birds custard is just cornflour with colours and flavours.

 

[Epona]

Milk puddings.
My dad used to make custard with cornflour, add a pinch of turmeric paprika and salt and a drop or two of vanilla extract. I think birds custard is just cornflour with colours and flavours.

It is but I suggest adding sugar and milk too

EDIT: Should also say, stir cornflour into a small amount of cold milk (for custard, or other cold liquid relevant to recipe) before adding it to anything, then heat up - I am sure most folks are aware but some who don't use it regularly may not know that adding it straight into hot liquid is going to result in an awful lumpy mess - mix it into cold liquid then add it and heat

 

[zora]

Okay, this one's from the back of the freezer. Bought two packs of yellow-stickered southern fried 'chicken' (soy) fillets from Tesco's new plant-based range back in January and shoved them in the freezer. Looking at the packs now it says "not suitable for home freezing". Does this mean that it's just not going to be as crunchy in texture as it would otherwise have been, or will it be unsafe to eat? I don't want to be that person in the news bulletin: "Please avoid putting additional strain on the NHS by giving yourself avoidable food poisoning", otoh I could do with four protein rich schnitzels. Thoughts?

 

[Saul Goodman]

Okay, this one's from the back of the freezer. Bought two packs of yellow-stickered southern fried 'chicken' (soy) fillets from Tesco's new plant-based range back in January and shoved them in the freezer. Looking at the packs now it says "not suitable for home freezing". Does this mean that it's just not going to be as crunchy in texture as it would otherwise have been, or will it be unsafe to eat? I don't want to be that person in the news bulletin: "Please avoid putting additional strain on the NHS by giving yourself avoidable food poisoning", otoh I could do with four protein rich schnitzels. Thoughts?

It'll be fine to eat. Well, it won't kill you. And how much worse could it possibly taste that when it was new?

 

[Maggot]

Okay, this one's from the back of the freezer. Bought two packs of yellow-stickered southern fried 'chicken' (soy) fillets from Tesco's new plant-based range back in January and shoved them in the freezer. Looking at the packs now it says "not suitable for home freezing". Does this mean that it's just not going to be as crunchy in texture as it would otherwise have been, or will it be unsafe to eat? I don't want to be that person in the news bulletin: "Please avoid putting additional strain on the NHS by giving yourself avoidable food poisoning", otoh I could do with four protein rich schnitzels. Thoughts?

As long as you don't thaw them and then re-freeze them, I'm guessing you will stay out of A&E.

Serve them with a sauce to disguise their sogginess.

 

[Maggot]

My local Sri Lankan restaurant makes something similar to this: Vegan panna cotta with coconut milk and cardamom - Electric Blue Food - Kitchen stories from abroad

I finally got around to making this, it was pretty good. Very firm, I was expecting it to wobble more. Still got plenty of agar left, so might make some more.