Ingredients that sit in the cupboard -ideas?

[pugwash4x4]

Have a few bits and bobs that i've bought and only rarely use- thought a thread of "cupboard ideas" might be useful.

So what to do with:

Tins of Wild Salmon (comfort food- in a white sauce with mashed spuds)
Kirsch (only currently used for fondue)

so what other slightly odd things do you have that you have no idea what to do with?

or do you have some good ideas for slightly leftfield things?

[Mobile Chicane]

Canned wild salmon makes a good sauce for penne, heated with some fried off onion and garlic, passata, a splash of cream - and most importantly a splash of vodka - stirred in at the end.

Kirsch - no idea. Though I'd imagine it would be quite good in a trifle or to soak a gateau.

Anyone any ideas for butter beans?

[grumbledoak]

Butter beans make a nice mash; try them instead of potato.

ETA- Don't even know why we bought the semolina!

Edited by grumbledoak on Wednesday 8th December 20:41

[pugwash4x4]

semolina- cook with full fat milk, when cooked add a good splodge of sugar and then serve with Jame or Nutella.

Pretty much baby food for a cold night- great stuff

[Mobile Chicane]

Yellow split peas in the cupboard mean that you're never more than 40 minutes away from a delicious dhal:

1. Simmer the split peas with a good waft of turmeric until soft.
2. While the split peas are doing, slowly caramelise an onion, 1/2 a tsp of toasted cumin seeds, a clove of garlic and a chopped chilli or two in butter until brown and nutty.
3. Mash everything together and season.

[tertius]

Mobile Chicane said:

Yellow split peas in the cupboard mean that you're never more than 40 minutes away from a delicious dhal:

1. Simmer the split peas with a good waft of turmeric until soft.
2. While the split peas are doing, slowly caramelise an onion, 1/2 a tsp of toasted cumin seeds, a clove of garlic and a chopped chilli or two in butter until brown and nutty.
3. Mash everything together and season.

Sounds great - I'll give that a shot.

[calibrax]

grumbledoak said:

Don't even know why we bought the semolina!

For Nigella's roast potatoes recipe perhaps?

[Simpo Two]

From the back of my cupboard I can add paprika, cayenne pepper and Coffee-Mate, if that's any help to this recipe?

[zeb]

I am five spice...I have been used in recipes for thousaaaaaands of years

[Piglet]

Pearl barley, lovely in lovely slow cooked stews but never found any other use for it?

[Mobile Chicane]

Piglet said:

Pearl barley, lovely in lovely slow cooked stews but never found any other use for it?

You can use it instead of rice to make salads, vegetable stuffings etc.

[captainzep]

Tinned salmon can be made into very acceptable little Thai fishcakes.

[FastLaneGirl]

Mobile Chicane said:

Yellow split peas in the cupboard mean that you're never more than 40 minutes away from a delicious dhal:

1. Simmer the split peas with a good waft of turmeric until soft.
2. While the split peas are doing, slowly caramelise an onion, 1/2 a tsp of toasted cumin seeds, a clove of garlic and a chopped chilli or two in butter until brown and nutty.
3. Mash everything together and season.

Would this work with red lentils, MC? Got a whole packet of them & was going to just chuck in soups, but that sounds a great alternative if they'll cook in the same way.

[Mobile Chicane]

FastLaneGirl said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Yellow split peas in the cupboard mean that you're never more than 40 minutes away from a delicious dhal:

1. Simmer the split peas with a good waft of turmeric until soft.
2. While the split peas are doing, slowly caramelise an onion, 1/2 a tsp of toasted cumin seeds, a clove of garlic and a chopped chilli or two in butter until brown and nutty.
3. Mash everything together and season.

Would this work with red lentils, MC? Got a whole packet of them & was going to just chuck in soups, but that sounds a great alternative if they'll cook in the same way.

Red lentils work in exactly the same way, and cook faster.

Just watch the amount of liquid - enough to barely cover and top up if needed - you don't want the thing being too 'wet'.

[FastLaneGirl]

Mobile Chicane said:

FastLaneGirl said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Yellow split peas in the cupboard mean that you're never more than 40 minutes away from a delicious dhal:

1. Simmer the split peas with a good waft of turmeric until soft.
2. While the split peas are doing, slowly caramelise an onion, 1/2 a tsp of toasted cumin seeds, a clove of garlic and a chopped chilli or two in butter until brown and nutty.
3. Mash everything together and season.

Would this work with red lentils, MC? Got a whole packet of them & was going to just chuck in soups, but that sounds a great alternative if they'll cook in the same way.

Red lentils work in exactly the same way, and cook faster.

Just watch the amount of liquid - enough to barely cover and top up if needed - you don't want the thing being too 'wet'.

Brilliant, thank you I will try this over the weekend in that case.

[HereBeMonsters]

Arrowroot?

I don't even know what the fk it is.

[21TonyK]

HereBeMonsters said:

Arrowroot?

I don't even know what the fk it is.

You use it to thicken sauces that need to remain translucent. A fruit coulis etc Too much makes things pretty solid!

[Lardydah]

Mobile Chicane said:

Anyone any ideas for butter beans?

Spanish style stew with chorizo, brilliant at this time of year too.

[ritmo]

Piglet said:

Pearl barley, lovely in lovely slow cooked stews but never found any other use for it?

Soup