Sometimes you just know (AM)

Theoretically if you were to ask me if I lived by a motto I'd say, "Hells no! That's a mugs game. For losers." But in truth I kind of have heaps of mottos. "Be excellent to each other." "If you're going to be embarrassed about a thing you do then don't do that thing." (Could probably do with a rewrite or it will never catch on.) "Got  leftovers? Make burgers."

I think these are all important words to live by and if you're looking for a motto to live by please feel free to use one of mine. I mean I took one of mine from Bill and Ted. I think we should all use that one. But if you're after another may I suggest the one about leftovers and burgers. 

I'll make my veggie burgers out of leftover curry or baked eggplant or other sloppy delicious mush food I felt could do with some repurposing. Add some breadcrumbs and an egg and you got yourself a burger.  But after baking a snapper on Tuesday night and only eating half of it I figured I might as well try out my burger theory on that. What the hell else are you going to do with some cooked fish flesh still attached to its baked head, that cooked white eye staring out at you. Well I ditched the head and eye and mushed the rest up with some grated ginger, red onion and me ol' mates egg and crumbs. The smell of ginger and Spanish onion was incredibly promising but when I started chopping up the fixings of red cabbage, a little lettuce, cherry tomato, more onion and avocado, I just knew. I knew this was going to be a leftovers success for the ages. A burger patty of cooked fish is light and lovely and the whole thing was so fresh I could eat it all over again. 

So yeah, in theory living your life by mottos seems lame, but in truth it t may be the best thing you can do. 

In praise of leftovers (PM)

I am always so busy eating the firstovers to tune in to discussion of potential leftover innovations. Idiot.

Now I think about it, I could have turned all that leftover cauliflower kugel I made in to a pretty sweet vegetable tart. Sheesh, I could have made burgers. But I didn't. Oh well. 

Next year in Jerusalem. 

This is a tart I made another time. 

In praise of left overs (AM)

Best ever burgers

Monday a week ago was Passover. And our Seder was full of delicious food. Everything was delicious of course. And it was a vegetarian meal which was very exciting to me because I could eat everything. But you know what was even more exciting. The meal I made with the left-over food. If you ever find yourself with left-over hasselback potatoes and some left-over eggplants with buttermilk sauce you may just be lucky enough to eat the best burger dinner of your life!

Hasselback potatoes are potatoes that have been sliced, but not all the way through, and then cooked in quite a bit of fat, salt, garlic and thyme. Before they go into an oven they may look like this. But it was something I heard Chickpea say at Seder that really got me thinking. "YUM! Potato and chips at the same time." YES! I thought. YES!

And so, when I found myself with some left-over hasselbacks and a plan to make burgers there was really only one option.

 

As for the burgers,  it was something I heard Frandonna say after the Seder that really got me thinking. Mum was trying to give me all the eggplant left-overs and I said, "What will I do with all this?" And Frandonna said, "Make burgers." Or I think she did. So of course there was only one option. Burgers. I just mushed up the eggplant flesh with an egg and breadcrumbs, and hey presto, the moistest deliciousest veggie burgers I've eaten in a long time. I'm pretty sure they would be as delicious made with a roast eggplant and some good seasonings.

You guys, this meal was so good. Not just the best left-over meal but just a really effing great meal. I ate it twice in one week, and frankly my mouth is watering just writing about it.

Next year in Jerusalem!