The Thrifty Cookbook: 476 Ways to Eat Well With Leftovers (19 page)

There’s almost nothing else you can do with really ripe avocados – though I wouldn’t use them if the flesh is too bruised or brown. This is a perfect dip for bread or raw vegetables and it’s even good with grilled salmon.

2 ripe avocados

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, chopped

1 small green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or about 5 drops of Tabasco sauce
)

1 shallot or ¼ onion, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Scoop out the flesh from the avocados and mash it with a fork, then mix with all the other ingredients. Some people like their guacamole a bit lumpy, others as smooth as face cream, so it’s entirely up to you. However you make it, do it at the last minute, because once the air hits the avocado flesh, it discolours relatively fast.

The single lonely aubergine in the bottom of the fridge needn’t be chucked when it can be turned into an amazing dip. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Slice the aubergine into rounds about 1cm thick, put these on an oiled baking tray and bake until tender. Then blitz them in a food processor with a splash of olive oil, a little finely chopped garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Don’t worry about peeling the aubergine – the purple-black skin scorches nicely in the oven to give a lovely deep, smoky flavour.

Here are some quick ways for using up the ends of bread and for making simple bread at home.

First, though, breadcrumbs: once you get into the habit of blitzing the ends of bread and freezing them, you’ll discover that they come in endlessly handy – not least for the tops of bakes and gratins. The fact is that you can use any bread – the end of a fresh loaf, or stale slices – as long as it’s not bone hard or mouldy. Leave on the crusts and simply blitz the whole lot into fine crumbs in a food processor or blender. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for months.

Plain breadcrumbs are fine, but there are occasions when flavours can be added to give them an extra tang. This is the most basic recipe; you can jazz it up with capers, gherkins, extra garlic, a little chilli or any of your favourite chopped fresh herbs. Flavoured breadcrumbs don’t keep so well, so make them as you need them, with either freshly made crumbs or your store from the freezer.

55g bread, made into crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional, but really good with chicken
)

Simply mix the whole lot together.

I often make up an emergency batch of crispy unleavened toast strips, not unlike pitta bread. It takes no longer than 10 minutes and, though a more gooey paste would be just as good for papier-mâché with the kids, these absolutely do the trick with soups or dips, especially for a Sunday supper.

Serves 4

250g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 dessertspoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

150ml water

To garnish:

sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Mix the oil and water together and pour about two-thirds into the flour, mixing well. Continue to add the liquid until you have a dough that easily holds together and does not stick to the side of the bowl; it should not be wet.

On a lightly floured surface, roughly knead the dough by pushing it downwards and away from you with one hand and flipping it back on to itself with the other. Every so often, give it a quarter turn. This should take only 2-3 minutes – just until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Roll out the dough to around 3mm thick. Prick it all over with a fork. Scatter a little sea salt and black pepper on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and cut into strips, squares or circles. Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for 5-7 minutes, until just turning lightly golden.

Add flavours to the dough before rolling: try a little dried thyme, paprika, finely sliced garlic, chopped black olives, a little chopped anchovy, lemon zest or even grated Parmesan.