Zero-waste cooking shouldn’t be about penny-pinching. At its coronary heart, it’s about honouring the earth. And your interior David Attenborough.
he Environmental Safety Company has discovered that 41pc of us throw away bread weekly. Bread shouldn’t be pricey, however that ain’t the purpose, my associates. Losing bread squanders restricted assets and damages the well being of our planet. Taking part in meals waste is like waging a warfare in opposition to ourselves.
At present, it’s all about crazy-delicious breadcrumbs. I fortunately tear and gather previous bread in a reusable freezer bag. It’s much less about saving cash right here, than getting right into a behavior of lowering meals waste.
Repurposing previous bread is likely one of the best habits to amass this yr, and some of the satisfying. Attempt fried breadcrumbs on prime of soup — insanely tasty — or scatter some throughout greens with chilli flakes. Add some contemporary thyme whereas frying breadcrumbs in butter, and your pasta will attain operatic heights.
Yup. This bag of previous bread goes to tickle your serotonin foolish.
Breaded aubergine with feta cream
Serves 2-3
You will have:
1 massive aubergine
80g stale (not contemporary) bread
1 tablespoon flour (non-compulsory)
2 teaspoons floor cumin
Zest of 1 lime
Beneficiant pinch of chilli flakes or scorching chilli powder
½ teaspoon dried garlic
Salt and freshly floor pepper to style
1 egg
Butter, ghee or olive oil, to fry
200g feta cheese
6 tablespoons plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
1 Briefly clear the aubergine pores and skin with vinegar, water and a tea towel. Thinly slice downwards, creating as many aubergine ‘steaks’ as potential. The primary and final slice will comprise an excessive amount of pores and skin — higher to roast these one other day.
2 Put aside the aubergine ‘steaks’ when you make the spicy crumb coating. Tear up your stale bread into small items and blast in a meals processor or espresso grinder. You’re in search of very fantastic breadcrumbs. If they’re too massive, they gained’t persist with the aubergine. Be happy so as to add a tablespoon of flour to assist it alongside in your meals processor.
3 Subsequent, add the bottom cumin, a number of lime zest, the chilli flakes or scorching chilli powder, whichever you’re utilizing, and the dried garlic. Season effectively with salt and freshly floor pepper and blitz once more. Organize this spicy crumb coating in a shallow bowl.
4 In a separate shallow bowl, beat the egg. Dip every aubergine ‘steak’ into the overwhelmed egg, then dip into the spicy crumb coating, ensuring either side are coated. Repeat till all of the aubergine slices are coated. Put aside.
5 Heat a frying pan over a medium warmth, and dot with butter, ghee, or olive oil, whichever you’re utilizing. Wait till the fats is scorching earlier than putting a number of slices of breaded aubergine into the pan. Fry on either side for 3-4 minutes. If the pan is just too scorching, the breadcrumbs will burn earlier than the aubergine is cooked within the centre. If the warmth is just too low, the breadcrumbs will fall off. It’s a fantastic steadiness, however a joyful medium flame all the time works for me.
6 Whereas the aubergine is cooking, make the feta cream. Crumble the feta right into a blender and add the yoghurt and the grated garlic. Blast right into a tangy, clean cream.
7 To plate up, unfold some feta cream on a plate. Layer the breaded aubergines on prime. Oven-roasted tomatoes pair rather well with this dish. Breaded aubergines are additionally a fantastic vegetarian breakfast possibility with some baked beans and eggs.