Zero waste recipes by Chef Erica Drum

Erica will be one of the chefs demonstrating live from the Quality Kitchen Stage at Bord Bia Bloom 2024!

Erica’s top food waste reduction tips include:

1. Store all your fresh produce correctly. Remove plastic packaging that makes things ‘sweat’ and refrigerate necessary items as soon as you get home from the supermarket.
2. Write a shopping list and if possible, try not to go to the supermarket hungry. If we are hungry or don’t have a list, we tend to over-buy. We will buy things we don’t need which will increase the chances of waste.
3. Shop at home first! COVID taught us to do this more than ever, but it is a really simple and important tip. It will save you money and space. Check your cupboards, the back of the fridge and even the freezer before you head out the door.
4. Notice when you are wasting. Pay close attention for a week or two to what your household is putting in the bin, is it bread? Could that be stored in the freezer for example? Depending on what it is, either reduce your purchase of that item or figure out how to prolong its life.
5. Use your nose!!! Things must be given a shelf life because of health regulations. But when it comes to most plant produce, for example, it is a ‘best before’. This means you can use your nose and judgement. Most of the time a bad part just needs to be cut off or the veg needs to be peeled. Don’t be scared!

Instructions:
Please take these ingredients as guidelines. The aim is that we use up food that would normally go to waste at the back of the fridge or press. The best thing to do is see the measurements of dry to wet ingredients and try and keep them in and around the same as the recipes.

Recipes

Fast Fake-away Fried Rice

Takes 12 minutes.

Makes 2-4 portions.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion- red/white/green/shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 red chilli or chilli flakes or chilli powder
• 200g leftover protein bits- chicken/tofu/veg/prawns
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• 1 tablespoons fish sauce or shrimp paste(optional)
• 200g cooked cold rice (it is truly best to use less fresh rice)
• 100g of empty the fridge veg- scallions, peas, cubed carrots, pak choi
• 1 tomato or a few cherry tomatoes
• Salt & pepper
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Fry your onions in some oil over a hot heat for a few minutes and then add your garlic and chilli.
2. Season the onions, garlic and chilli with some salt. Fry for a further 3-4 minutes.
3. Now add in your strips of chicken/tofu/veg/prawns and fry for at least 5 more minute or until a little golden. If raw, e sure to coo them through.
4. In a little dish you can mix up your soy sauce, honey, and fish sauce or shrimp paste.
5. Add your rice, any extra veg, tomato and your sauce to the pan.
6. Stir it all together and fry for another minute or two until everything is cooked and piping hot.
7. Taste and add seasoning as desired.
8. Serve with a freshly fried crispy egg.

Perfect Potato Cakes

Takes 15 minutes.

Makes 4 potato cakes.

Ingredients:

• 300g Leftover Mash or baby potatoes
• 1 egg
• 50g flour
• 100g bits and bobs in fridge- scallions, carrot, herbs or frozen peas, sweet corn.
• 100g leftover Chicken, smoked salmon, ham slices or even tinned tuna.
• 50g leftover cheese bits, grated
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (or even crème fraiche, sour cream, yogurt)
• 1 garlic clove

Method:

1. Place the mash, egg, flour, bits and bobs, leftovers, cheese, mustard and the juice and zest from half a lemon, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
2. Combine with your hands or a wooden spoon.
3. Mould into 4 large tennis ball size balls or 8 smaller balls.
4. Place a frying pan on a hot heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil for frying.
5. Place the balls, spread out, on the pan and press down into a disc shape.
6. Turn the heat down to medium; continue to fry for 4-5 minutes and then turn to the other side!
7. For the sauce: mix the juice and zest of half a lemon with the mayonnaise and a crushed garlic clove.
8. Serve with the potato cakes and some fresh leaves on the side.

Super Speedy Soup

Takes 45 minutes.

Makes 4-6 bowls.

Ingredients:

• 1kg Mixed vegetables – carrots, courgette, parsnips, potatoes, bruised tomatoes, peppers, leeks, squash, pumpkin, peas!
• 1 large white onion
• 4 garlic gloves
• Leftover fried breakfast bits – bacon, sausage or pudding (optional)
• 1l vegetable stock
• Slices stale bread
• Olive oil
• Salt & black pepper

Method:

1. Chop up you raw vegetables into even size pieces.
2. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20minutes at 180C.
4. In the meantime, dice your onions.
5. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepot over a medium heat and begin to fry your onions.
6. Leave these to sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Finely chop your garlic and add this to the onions.
8. If you have leftover bacon or breakfast bits, chop them up nice and fine.
9. Add the breakfast bits to the onions and garlic and stir on a low heat for a minute.
10. Place the cooked veg from the oven into your saucepot and pour over the stock.
11. Bring this to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
12. While this is simmering, cube up your stale bread, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for a few minutes on each side.
13. Place the soup mixture in a food processor or blitz with a soup gun. Add more water and seasoning where needed to reach your desired texture and taste.
14. Serve with some homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

Visit the Quality Kitchen Stage at Bord Bia Bloom this June bank holiday weekend. To stay up-to-date with news on the show gardens, and the many other fun aspects of Bloom, please stay tuned to our social channels @BordBiaBloom. Tickets to this year’s festival are available here.