Module 4. Minimizing Waste

So what’s my Number 1 tip for buying the best fruit & veg?

Easy. It’s all about finding a good supplier and building a relationship with them.

That could be at your local farmers market, your local green grocer, or some sort of co-op. Supermarkets tend to be a bit more difficult to build a relationship with in the traditional sense, but if the supermarket is your only option, taking the time to pay attention to their stocking and discounting habits can still make a difference.

Why is it so important

A good supplier takes all the guess work out of shopping for produce.

If everything they stock is great quality, it removes the need for you to worry about avoiding the dodgy specimens. Simplifiying your shopping and ensuring you’re buying the best.

When I saw Rene Redzepi speak in Melbourne, he spent more than half his talk telling stories about his suppliers and how he has built relationships over the years. And that this is one of the keys to the success of his restaurant Noma, currently ranked Number 1. restaurant in the world.

There are side benefits as well. It makes shopping more personal. And more fun![/tab] [tab]

Easy Storage Techniques to Maximise the Life of Fresh Produce

When it comes to healthy eating, it isn’t an understatement to say that veggies and fresh produce play a super important role.

But choosing, storing and preparing fresh produce can be a little daunting. And it can be quite expensive. So it’s important to get it right.

Pretty much every major class here at The Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School includes a module on fresh veg.

In previous classes, I’ve gone into great detail about the ideal storage temperatures for each vegetable. I’ve also explained the role of ethylene gas in the ripening and shelf life of fresh produce.

But thinking about it now, I may have been over complicating the message.

So here’s a simplified system for veg storage.

1. If in doubt keep them in the fridge

Most chemical reactions slow down at cooler temperatures. Same with micro-organism growth.

So in general cooler = longer shelf life.

There are, of course, exceptions.

I store the following at room temperature, in the pantry, preferable in a dark place:

:: potatoes – in a hessian sack – allows them to breathe & protects from light

:: whole avocado (sensitive to chilling injury) once cut, though I tend to keep in the fridge.

:: garlic

:: onions – in a hessian sack – allows them to breathe & protects from light

:: tomatoes (sensitive to chilling injury) refrigeration changes their texture and dulls their flavour

:: bananas (sensitive to chilling injury)

:: lemons – I love having a big bowl of lemons on the dining room table. They’re fine in the fridge too.

:: anything that is under ripe

Interestingly, my brother gave me his big flashy fridge last year, and I’ve noticed my veg are lasting significantly longer in the new fridge than in our tiny old fridge.

2. Use the veg crisper OR store in plastic bags

The refrigeration process removes moisture from the air inside your fridge, making it particularly drying.

Because veg and fruit tend to have high water contents, they are very sensitive to drying. You know yourself, if you leave a lettuce in the fridge uncovered, it will wilt pretty quickly.

The solution is to make the most of the crisper section of the fridge – and have it set to the ‘veg’ storage setting.

I also tend to keep my veg wrapped in plastic bags as extra protection.

3. Don’t worry about ethylene

As I mentioned above, in previous classes I’ve included a list of veg and whether they are sensitive to ethylene or not. And the thing is, in a home environment when you’re storing small amount of a wide range of veg, it doesn’t make that much of a difference.

And to be honest I hardly even think about it.

The only tip I have, is that bananas produce lots of ethylene gas as they ripen. And ethylene can speed up the ripening process in other produce. So if you have something like an avocado that you want to ripen quickly, just pop it in a paper bag with a ripe banana and it will happen in no time.

hessian sack

The 3 Major Causes of Food Spoilage

To maximise the life of our fresh produce, it can be really helpful to understand what causes food to spoil. If we’re aware of the potential problems, we’re much more likely to be able to prevent or delay spoilage than we are without any knowledge.

So without making you take a degree in food science, here are the 3 major causes of spoilage to keep in mind.

1. Micro organisms

Including bacteria, yeast, moulds & fungi.

Microbes are the biggest concern from a food safety perspective because they can make us ill and in extreme cases cause death.

Heat is one of the most common methods of killing microbes. High sugar or salt environments (or low moisture) such as in jams or salted foods also prevent microbes from growing.

High acid (low pH), as in pickles, is another way to control microbes.

The good news is that the growth of moulds or fungi can be used as a visual indicator that food is going bad.

2. Enzymes

Enzymes are chemicals that speed up reactions. They can be naturally occurring in food or can be produced from microbes.

The benefits of some enzymes is that they can help us digest our food but they can also lead to spoilage.

To deactivate enzymes and prevent spoilage, some sort of exposure to heat is the quickest and easiest solution.

3. Oxygen

Oxidation is the technical term for the browning that happens when you leave the cut surface of an apple exposed to the air. It’s more of a loss of quality problem, rather than a safety issue.

The enzymes or chemicals which promote browning are slowed down by acid and destroyed by heat. Providing a barrier to the oxygen by sealing in a jar or covering with water also helps.

[/tab][tab]

6 Quick & Easy Ways to ‘Preserve’ Food at Home, Without Turning into a ‘Nanna’

When we think of ‘preserves’ it tends to evoke images of busy kitchens filled with vast steaming pots and masses of jars ready to be filled.

While that may be the case for jam making, the act of preservation need not be either time consuming or involve large quantities.

What is food preservation?

It’s simply any process which helps to prolong the shelf life of ingredients.

On one end there is the field of classic preserves like jam making. These have been covered in the Preserve Like Your Nanna class. So if you’re interested in larger scale preserving I recommend having a look at the class.

For now, we’re more interested in the quick techniques you can use at home to increase the life of your produce, without turning yourself into a grey haired, apron-wearing ‘Nanna’.

6 quick and easy ways to ‘preserve’ food at home

1. Freezing
The home freezer is a pretty amazing invention. It gives us access to a really effective food preservation technique right in our kitchens.

Freezing is great for things like meat, bread, cooked food like soups and stews, some vegetables like peas and spinach, pastry, fruit like berries, bananas.

The benefits of freezing is that it usually doesn’t change the flavour of the food. The downside is that it can impair texture, especially in higher moisture foods.

For more on freezing:

:: 7 golden rules of freezing food

:: 8 time-saving ideas using your freezer

2. Chilling
It doesn’t get much quicker than opening the fridge and popping something in. But in effect when we’re using the fridge we are doing a little bit of home ‘preservation’. That meat or cheese would certainly not last as long if you just left it out on the kitchen bench.

The most important thing to be aware of with refrigeration is that the air in your fridge is very dry. So if food is left uncovered it can dehydrate and spoil in that way. So to make the most of your fridge, ensure you keep everything covered, in containers, or wrapped in plastic bags or al foil.

A good experiment to demonstrate is to put a stalk of celery in the fridge uncovered and put another next to it wrapped in plastic or foil and watch the changes over time.

3. Heating
When it comes to destroying two of the biggest causes of food spoilage: microbes and enzymes, high temperatures are the most effective.

So if you have a piece of fish or meat that you aren’t going to eat in time, simply exposing it to heat – pan frying or poaching say, will deactivate any enzymes and heavily reduce the microbes. This means it will last for another week or more in the fridge.

Same goes for fresh veg. Once cooked, they will last much longer.

Cooked food can also benefit from a little heat treatment. If I have a soup or stew or some cooked lentils that have been hanging around the fridge for a while and getting a bit ‘iffy’. I’ll just bring them up to a boil for a few minutes then pop them back in the fridge. This brings the microbe population back to a low level and prolongs the life of my cooked food.

4. Reducing moisture
By either adding salt or sugar, we can reduce the moisture content of foods and decrease potential microbial growth. I tend not to use these at home, apart from making the odd batch of ‘gravalax’ or preserved salmon every now and then. But it is a technique to keep in mind.

Drying in the sun or a low temperature oven. Or a ‘dehydrator’ machine are other ways of reducing moisture. Again, I’m less likely to use any of these apart from the odd batch of oven dried tomatoes. But it is another home preservation technique we can use.

5. Reducing exposure to air
Exposure to air can increase browning through oxidation. If the air is dry, like in the fridge, it can dehydrate food and cause wilting. 2 good reasons to keep food covered.

Keeping fruit and veg whole, rather than chopping is the easiest way to reduce air exposure. But covering cut surfaces with plastic wrap is the next best thing.

For liquids or sauces like pesto, popping them in a jar and covering with a layer of oil to protect from air is another good trick.

6. Adding acid
Reducing the pH of food, or making it more acidic makes it tough for microbes to grown and for enzymes so it can be a win-win. Of course the acid will dramatically change the flavour and sometimes the texture of foods.

The most common example is pickling vegetables. Again, not a technique I personally use on a regular basis but a good one to be mindful of. A piece of fish given a squeeze of lemon, will last for longer than the same fish left untreated.

A final reminder

The trick is to pay attention to when food is in danger of going bad, and taking some action to prevent that actually happening. Remember you have the power to stop spoilage!

It comes back to making sure you have a good look in the fridge every day or so, just to keep in mind how everything is progressing.

For me ‘out of sight is out of mind’, so I’m always looking in my fridge to keep on top of it.

Note-to-self…a little extra ‘freezer inspection’ would be helpful as well.[/tab][tab]

6 Tips for Making Leftovers Last

When it comes to the factors that make leftovers go bad, we’re dealing with 2 of the same culprits that attack our fresh ingredients. Namely microbes and oxygen.

Since leftovers have usually been ‘cooked’ in some way, enzymes aren’t generally much of a concern.

The good news is we also have the same weapons in our arsenal to hold the microbes and oxygen at bay for as long as we need. If you need a refresher on these techniques, head back over here.

So here are 6 tips specifically targeted towards keeping leftovers.

1. Chill ASAP.
The worst thing for most food is to be hanging around at room temperature – perfect growing conditions for microbes. So the sooner you pop things in the fridge or freezer, the smaller your microbe populations are going to be to begin with.

And less microbes = you guessed it, longer shelf life.

2. Keep different components separately, if possible
The other night we had curry with quinoa and stir fried bok choy. There were leftovers of all 3 dishes. I could have just piled it all into the same container, but instead I chose to pack the items away separately. The main benefit of doing this is that it gives you more options for ‘reinventing’ the leftovers. So the quinoa can be used in a salad, or a soup, or served with yoghurt and berries. You get the idea.

3. Consider packing individual serves
When I used to take my lunch to work, I’d pack most leftovers into little ‘lunch sized’ containers. Then pop them in the fridge, and sometimes the freezer. So in the mornings I’d be able to grab and go, making it much more likely that I’d actually take my lunch, rather than thinking ‘too hard’.

Individual serves are also great in the freezer because they’re quicker and easier to defrost.

4. Cover
Fridges and freezers are VERY dry environments You know yourself that uncovered food dries out very quickly. I tend to use glass containers fitted with plastic lids or just cover things with cling wrap or foil. Whatever works for you, just don’t be like my Dad and put your steaks in the freezer without any protection.

5. Use appropriately sized containers.
This is more of a precaution against oxygen, less air or ‘head space’ in a container means less air and by extension, less oxygen. Poorly protected food will be more likely to suffer from freezer burn. A side benefit is that you’ll fit more things in your fridge and freezer.

6. Use freezer suitable bags
Not all plastic bags are created equally in their ability to act as a barrier for air and moisture under very low temperatures. So make sure you use proper freezer bags, rather than whatever you get from the supermarket.[/tab][tab]

11 Fun Ideas for ‘Reinventing’ Leftovers

Just like people, some leftovers actually improve with age while others aren’t so lucky. The trick to having ‘fun’ with leftovers is knowing which dishes will fit into which category.

I also find it’s super important to mix things up. Here are 11 ideas to keep leftovers in the ‘fun’ and tasty end of the food spectrum.

1. Take a break.

Having the same leftovers for more than one meal in a row can make even the most unadventurous eater get a little tired. But a break of even just one day can make them seem ‘new’ again.

Most things will keep for a week in the fridge and much longer in the freezer so don’t feel pressured into eating all the leftovers before moving onto other dishes.

2. Freeze some.

If you’ve got way more than you can possibly eat in a week, be sure to freeze at least some. It’s amazing how a few weeks spell in the freezer can make something totally ‘old’ seem fun again.

Most things, with the exception of raw veg dishes or salads, freeze well. So if in doubt give it a try!

3. Share the love.

Either take leftovers into work to share with your colleagues. Or invite some friends over for dinner – no need to tell them they’re doing you a favour by eating up your leftovers.

4. The leftover leafy salad

Make a classic green salad and turn it into a meal by scattering over your leftovers, that have been chopped into bight sized pieces, if needed. Works with either cold leftovers or warm them up for a lovely warm salad.

5. The leftover & legume salad

If you’ve got some leftovers but not enough to make a meal out of them, give them a little ‘stretch’ by tossing warmed leftover through cooked or canned lentils or beans. A handful of some fresh leaves, herbs or finely sliced celery can help to freshen it all up.

6. The leftover sandwich or wrap

The Earl of Sandwich was onto a good thing. Most things do taste better between two slices of bread. Just don’t forget to add something fresh and something saucy to keep it moist. Slow carbers should apply the same rule to an ‘ice berg lettuce wrap’.

7. The leftover ‘toastie’

Without the fabulous invention that is the ‘toasted sandwich maker’, I would have starved to death during college. It never ceased to amaze me how a practically inedible meal could be turned into a tasty delight by popping it in a ‘toastie’. The addition of a good melting cheese shouldn’t be overlooked either.

8. The leftover soup

Bring a few cups of water, tomato puree or stock to the simmer and add your leftovers (chopped into bight sized pieces). Instant divinely warming soup.

9. The leftover baked frittata

Leftover cooked vegetables, legumes, starches, protein, herbs and even cheese, can all go into making the most divine baked frittata. Use the recipe over here as a base and get creative.

10. Change the nationality of your dish

This can be tricky with strongly flavoured dishes like curries. But for more European style recipes, a change in nationality can make all the difference.

For example a pot of leftover beans could have curry powder added and served with yoghurt and fresh coriander (cilantro) to become an Indian curry. A little coconut milk and Thai curry paste and you have a smiling Thai almost-native.

We’ll cover more on this in Week 5 when we discuss flavour profile templates and common flavour pairings.

11. The ‘serving with a different side / accompaniment’ trick

Take example from a classic sauce of minced meat with garlic and tomatoes. Add spaghetti and a generous sprinkling of cheese and it becomes ‘bolognese’. Serve over corn chips and melt some cheese on top, add a splodge of sour cream and it becomes ‘nachos’. Or serve on a baked potato and it takes on an Irish vibe.

Common Leftover Ingredients. How to Keep them Fresh & Clever Ideas for Using Them Up.

The easiest way to use up leftover ingredients is to remember to get them out of the pantry or fridge and just include them in your cooking.

You’ll find as you move to creating your own dishes based on template recipes, you’ll be more likely to reach for what you have rather than the ingredients that the recipe demands.

That shift in itself will make a massive difference to the amount of annoying leftover dribs and drabs that end up accumulating in your fridge.

Salad Leaves / Mesculun

Tends to be the most perishable of all veg. When it’s packed in sealed bags, they often use different gasses flushed into the bag to remove oxygen and prolong the life.

That’s why salad in bags had a longer use by date. But then when you open the bag (and let oxygen in) it deteriorates quite quickly.

I’ve found the best way to maximise the life of salad leaves is to wash and spin dry (leaving them slightly damp) then lay the leaves out on paper towel and wrap up into a bundle. Then put the bundle in a plastic bag and suck to remove most of the air before sealing. It’s a bit of a hassle up front but they last longer and they’re already washed when you need them.

Great ways to use salad leaves, apart from making a side salad is to sprinkle a handful over protein based dishes to freshen up the plate. Or serving things like stews or curries on a bed of salad leaves as a lighter alternative to the usual carb-heavy accompaniments of rice, pasta or mashed spuds.

Spices

Oxygen is the enemy of spices so it’s important to store them in an air tight bag or container. Temperature and light can also make a difference so keep in a cool dry place.

Spices are an easy way to change the overall flavour profile of a dish. It may seem a little daunting at first, but the more you use spices, the easier it will be for you to predict a favourable outcome.

A great way to get started is to put a little of your dish in a cup and add tiny amounts of spice to it so you can have a preview of whether that spice will work in your dish. If you like it add the spice to the whole dish, if you don’t try another option.

We’ll cover classic flavour combinations for spices in the next module. But for now, the following are the most versatile spices that can be used pretty much anywhere:

:: black pepper

:: smoked paprika & other paprikas

:: cayenne pepper

:: chilli powder, dried chilli flakes, whole dried chillies

:: cumin seeds or powder – adds a mild earthy ‘curry’ flavour to dishes

:: coriander seeds or powder – add a fresh lemony falvour

:: vanilla – with most things sweet

Lemons

I just keep at room temp.. but they last for ages in the fridge.

Use excess lemons in salad dressings or as a side to squeeze over rich protein-based dishes.

The juice of half a lemon in a small glass of cold water makes a super invigorating start to the day.

Celery

Also make sure it’s wrapped up in either foil or plastic to minimise loss of moisture and wilting. I’ve had celery last for over a month in my fridge. My Mum used to have a tupperware ‘celery’ container which did a similar job.

The key to celery is to stop just thinking of it as an aromatic veg to use as a supporting ingredient and started using it as an ingredient in its own right.

My favourite is in a raw veg salad. Suddenly it won’t seem to be such a problem. There’s a recipe for my favourite Celery Heart Salad in the cooking on a budget class.

A little finely sliced celery is brilliant for adding crunch in all sorts of dishes.

Basil

Basil gets a mention on it’s own because I find commercial basil notorious for going brown and wilted after just one night in the fridge.

I try and grow my own basil but when I do buy it, I make sure I turn it into pesto either on the day or the next.

OR if I’m short on time, I make a basil oil by packing the washed & dried leaves into a jar and covering with a good peppery extra virgin olive oil. This way it will keep in the fridge for weeks and you can fish out the leaves or use the oil as you go.

Leafy Herbs

Washing and wrapping in paper towel and a plastic bag as per salad can help. But I find it best to try and use them as quickly as possible.

Mint, parsley and coriander (cilantro) can be used as a salad leaf so they’re pretty easy to find a home for. Or consider trying alternative pestos or herb oils.

Woody Herbs

Woody herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary are fine in the freezer. Then you can just use them as needed.

This also works for bay leaves, curry leaves, kaffir lime leaves. Fresh horseradish, ginger & turmeric.

Sauces

Sauces can be divided into two categories. Ones that need refrigerating after opening and those that don’t. Read the label if in doubt.

For sauces that can be served as a condiment, it’s a matter of getting them out and serving them on the table for everyone to experiment with. Although best to only have 1-2 options out at a time so it’s not overwhelming.

For sauces that are more ingredients, first think about the style of sauce and where those styles can be used. For example if it’s an Asian sauce like hoisin, it can probably be used anywhere that you’d use a thicker Asian sauce like oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce. Say stir fries or on steamed veg.

Likewise curry pastes can often be used interchangeably to give a different slant on an old favourite dish.

‘Exotic’ ingredients

Two options for figuring out how to use up your ‘orange blossom water’ or pomegranate molasses.

1. Just google it with the word recipe and see what comes up.

2. Have a taste on its own and think about which common ingredients it is most like. Then try using it instead of the common ingredient. Or do a 50:50 replacement.

For example, tasting pomegranate molasses, it’s sweet but also has quite a bit of acidity. So my first place to try it would be somewhere that I’d normally use balsamic vinegar which is also sweet and acidic.

Cheese

Odd ends of cheese are easy to get rid of. Save them up for a pot luck mac & cheese extravaganza. Just grate or crumble and mix them together.

Rinds of had cheeses like parmesan can be added to soups or stews to give extra richness and umami flavours. Just remember to fish them out before serving.

Salads and soups are another great repository for odd scraps of cheese, as a tiny bit sprinkled or grated over just before serving can add interest without requiring a large amount of cheese.

Vegetables

We’ve covered ideal storage conditions, The obvious homes for odd veg are soups, stews and slow cooked dishes.

But don’t forget to add little bits and pieces to salads, especially ‘slaw or raw veg salads. Vegetables can also be added to add textural variety to a pot of cooked legumes either in with the cooking water, or as a fresh ingredient later on.

Cucumbers & Capsicum (Bell Peppers)

You should be able to get 2 weeks out of these in the fridge. The thing that makes them go bad is dehydration. So keeping them in containers or as I do, in plastic bags is the solution.

Avocado

I only put them in the fridge once they’re cut. Avocados are warm weather creatures who don’t like the cold. Refrigeration actually cases ‘chilling injury’ and speeds up browning. So keep them at room temp.

When cut, leaving the stone in the half you’re not going to eat helps protect a large part of the surface area from browning.

I find they don’t last for long. I tend to buy the firmest ones I can (unless I feel like eating avocado straight away) but they’re always something I’m thinking about ‘eating up’ before they go bad.

WEEK 4 Daily Updates

:: Week 4. Planning & Shopping Video

:: Week 4. Day 16. A final meatless Monday

:: Week 4. Day 17. Chilli Tuesday

:: Week 4. Day 18. A rainy Wednesday

:: Week 4. Day 19. Second last day!

:: Week 4. Day 20. The LAST Day!! [/tab] [tab]

Module 4 Resource. Fresh Produce Cheat Sheet