MAKE dinnertime delicious, cut waste and curb costs by taking tips from a pro.
I caught up with triple-Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge at the launch of Marks & Spencer’s Remarkable Value range to hear his tricks to boost flavour on a budget.
STALKS ’N’ ALL: Make veg go further by making use of the stuff you might normally chuck, like stalks.
Tom says: “Broccoli is essentially a flower. Flowers get all their nutrients through the stalk so the amount of flavour that comes through broccoli stalks is incredible.”
Turn it into a pesto to stir through pasta by blending them with olive oil, basil, pine nuts, hazelnuts and parmesan or cheddar.
And don’t throw away the soft stalks of fresh herbs such as mint and coriander. Just chop them finely and use as normal.
DON’T LEAF ME THIS WAY: Cauliflower leaves have their uses too, says Tom.
Chop and add to a homemade burger mix for extra texture or use in a stir- fry.
Or roast them whole with olive oil, salt and pepper until crispy at the edges, according to leading lifestyle blog onegreenplanet.org.
ONE-TRAY WONDER: Roasting veg instead of boiling it helps to bring out the best flavour, says Tom.
“Vegetables are probably 80 or 90 per cent water, so when you roast them they cook in their own juices.”
With tomatoes, for example, “the natural sugars begin to caramelise so you get this lovely balance of sweet and acidity and essentially we are looking for that in any kind of cooking”.
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When making tray bakes, double your portions to make the most of your oven space and get two meals for the same amount of energy.
Stick the extra batch in the freezer for later and reheat in the microwave to use less electricity than roasting from scratch.
SAUCE MATERIALS: Got leftover soup or sauce in a jar?
Tom says: “If a recipe says add stock at some point and you’ve got some leftover tomato soup, use that. If you’ve got leftover pasta sauce, mix it with some beans and spice paste to make a chilli.”
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