In the fight against food waste, an ice cube tray can become your most-used kitchen gadget. It’s an ideal way to store small amounts of leftover ingredients from cooking big meals. You’ll be surprised at our list of freezer safe foods, perfect to unmould and pop into your meal to add depth of flavour:  

– Brown butter (add to soups, stews and sauces) 

– Tomato paste (add to marinades, beef mince or chicken while cooking) 

– Yoghurt with fruit (add to smoothies or custards) 

– Red wine (add to the pan to deglaze while cooking) 

– Bacon fat (add to meat dishes or defrost and drizzle meat with it before cooking) 

– Pesto (add to sauces, pastas or defrost to brush pastries once out the oven)  

Remember to label your trays with the ingredient name and date of freezing. You don’t want a bacon fat lemonade!

Words by: Chad January
Photographs: Zhann Solomons, Fresh Living Magazine, Getty, Shutterstock 

The post Freezer-safe leftovers to use in your next meal appeared first on MyKitchen.

Lots of leftovers? Use up your roast for this turkey caesar salad – it’s so good it might just compete with your mains for the spotlight!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the dressing
1 tsp anchovy paste
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp Parmesan
For the turkey caesar salad
1 cup crusty bread, torn
6 baby gem lettuces
1½ cups shredded leftover turkey
¼ cup Parmesan
4 eggs, boiled and halved

METHOD
For the dressing
1. Whisk together the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Add the mayonnaise and Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate.
For the turkey caesar salad
1. Heat some olive oil in a pan and toast the chunks of bread, until golden brown. Season lightly and set aside to cool.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves in a serving dish. Top with turkey, croutons and Parmesan.
3. Add the eggs and serve with the dressing on the side.

Tip
Tearing the bread apart with your hands instead of slicing it will give your croutons loads of extra texture and crunch, and the jagged edges will hold your flavourful dressing perfectly.

Recipe & styling: Dylan Norton
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

Our steak and pear salad with home-made mint dressing is another delicious way to use up your leftover roast!

The post Leftover turkey caesar salad with parmesan crumb appeared first on MyKitchen.

Not sure what to do with your leftovers from Sunday lunch? Prep Monday’s lunch with these quick and easy cheesy paneer pockets!

MAKES 16 // COOKING TIME 35 min

INGREDIENTS
For the paneer filling
250 g leftover paneer, crumbled
½ cup grated mozzarella
1 egg
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
For the pockets
4 leftover rotis
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp water
1 egg, whisked
¼ cup sesame seeds
Vegetable oil, to fry
Coriander-mint chutney

METHOD
1. For the filling, combine all the ingredients.
2. Use a 10 cm biscuit cutter to cut rounds out of the rotis.
3. Mix flour and water to form a paste. Place 1 tbsp paneer filling in the centre of each roti round. Brush the edges with the flour paste and pinch closed to seal.
4. Brush each pocket with egg and coat in sesame seeds.
5. Fry until golden, then drain on paper towel. Serve warm with coriander-mint chutney.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Still have some paneer on the side? Use it to top this vegetarian mushroom burger.

The post Make these cheesy paneer pockets with your leftovers appeared first on MyKitchen.

Got leftovers from your curry feast? Be inspired to create even more delicious meals, like this leftover naan masala potato pizza!

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp masala spice
2 large leftover naans
6 baby potatoes, parboiled and very thinly sliced
½ cup coriander, chopped
¼ cup cashews, roasted and halved

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Heat ¼ cup oil in a pan and fry the garlic until golden. Add the masala spice and cook for a few seconds, until fragrant.
3. Brush naans with remaining oil and arrange the potatoes on top. Drizzle with the masala oil.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, until the naans are crisp.
5. Scatter with coriander and cashews before serving.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Have more leftovers? Make these salted yoghurt pitas with leftover meatballs!

The post Use your leftover naan for this masala potato pizza appeared first on MyKitchen.

Stumped for creative lunches? Put your leftover meatballs to work by enjoying them with pitas and salted yoghurt. You’ll be looking forward to it all day!

SERVES 1 // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
½ cup plain yoghurt
½ tsp salt
6 meatballs
Pomegranate rubies
Rocket
2 mini pitas, toasted

METHOD
1. Mix the yoghurt and salt.
2. Top the yoghurt with meatballs, pomegranate and rocket. Serve with pitas.

Recipe & styling: Jana du Plessis
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Enjoy your leftover meatballs with pitas and salted yoghurt appeared first on MyKitchen.

The Mediterranean coast offers a variety of delicious recipes with fresh ingredients, much like this Spanish fish frittata which is perfect for sharing!

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 35 min

INGREDIENTS
10 eggs
1½ tsp black pepper
1½ tsp salt
4 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
⅔ cup cooked, flaked hake
2 tbsp Parmesan
20 g flat-leaf parsley

METHOD
1. Preheat oven grill to 180°C.
2. Whisk together the eggs, seasoning and spring onions.
3. Melt the butter in an oven-proof pan over low heat. Add the egg and allow the edges to set, without stirring.
4. Sprinkle over the hake and Parmesan before the eggs set and grill for 10 minutes.
5. Turn out onto a platter and top with fresh parsley to serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Our fish frittata is the best way to use up leftover fish appeared first on MyKitchen.