| condiment question
Posted: 4/10/2008 9:26:28 PM | I'm an avid cook but have found a steady accumulation of common and obscure condiments with experimenting with new recipes. Does anyone have any cool recipes using up "this and that"? End of bottles and jars...
This is a first time thread post. I really would like some ideas looking in my fridge. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/10/2008 10:49:12 PM | I would love if this thread took off!!
I made wheat crackers the other day and used up some wheat germ, oat bran and flax seed I had leftover from Christmas granola (and also used some wheat flour that I recently acquired). Turned out great.
I was going to post the recipe, but figured that no one else had the same odds & ends that I had . . . .
If you listed some of your ingredients, I am sure that the creative people on this forum would have a ton of great ideas!!
And I would be encouraged to list some of the ingredients that I have accumulated when I only needed 1/4 teaspoon of said ingredient to add to a recipe.
OK--I'll kick it off!! I have a bunch of those tubes of herbs you get in the produce section . . . oregano, Italian seasoning, lemongrass, etc. I made salad dressing with the Italian seasoning (but still have 2+1/2 tubes left); tonight I made Thai roasted chicken with lemongrass and opened a bottle of cream of coconut and used 1/4 of the bottle and 1/2 tube of lemongrass, so I still have alot of both left over.
In another thread (since deleted), I listed a bunch of stuff that happens to come my way and I need ideas for . . . right now there is a bag of coleslaw mix that is not getting any younger in my refrigerator--I don't care for coleslaw and hadn't the forsight to sprout mung beans for a pad thai . . . it's FINALLY spring, so I'm not in the mood for an Asian-(or any other!!)-type soup . . . .
Although I am usually pretty inventive about using the odds & ends of ingredients, sometimes I overlook the forest for the trees . . . and, as a caveat in this "quickfire challenge" (see" Top Chef"), I wouldn't want to need a bunch of other ingredients that would end up as even MORE odds & ends!!!
 
Rx | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/10/2008 11:26:11 PM | Without knowing what's in the fridge, it's more difficult to suggest things. What are the odds that any group of foodies will have the same leftovers?
But that doesn't seem to stop me from being a smarta$$ and answering anyway 
OK, so... a few savory liquidy things can be compiled into a BBQ sauce or glaze. In the bad old days, of more jobs than money my father used to bring home assorted bottles of "stuff" from the restaurant he worked in. Partially filled, it was going to be tossed as not enough for food service, but not bad for a poor teacher on below poverty wages. So things like ketchup, honey, mustard, etc got combined into BBQ sauce. Add some maple syrup for sweetness and glaze, and a cheap cut of meat or some city chicken. Sweet liquidy stuff became frozen drinks and ices in the summer, or added to oatmeal instead of sugar.
Now, I use leftover condiments for marinades, add-ins to vinegar & oil for salad dressings, experiment with them in a veggie stir fry, or added to bread dough before baking.
Solids that I seem to have too much of can be used for smoking meats or fish... a small amount in a foil pak, poke some holes and add to a grill under whatever is cooking. Strong herbs work on beef or pork, lighter more subtle flavors for fish or chicken. You can use up your loose flavored tea this way too.
Other herbs can be combined and infused for tea or basting liquid (ie: oregano, brewed like tea and then basted over chicken has a curious not-quite-oregano taste that is good, but confuses the heck out of the people eating it.)
Some of the odds and ends are just deserving of a quick death, so you may have to bite the bullet and toss it in the bin. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 12:14:14 AM | | Sounds like a fertile field for experimentation, one of my favorites I discovered by accident. Mix a little barbecue sauce with your fave salad dressing, and use it as dip for raw veggies.(I prefer romaine hearts) | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 1:12:30 AM | Telling us specifically what you have on hand would help.
mustard/ketchup/A-1/bbq sauces -- when I have 3-6 of these in the door nearly empty but takin g up space this is when I used to fry up hamburger then rinse out all the bottles, add 1/4 c brown sugar, simmer til its a good consistency and that made delicious sloppy joes.
now I rinse them out and use them as overnight meat marinades since I don't buy hamburger anymore.
When my ketchup bottle is 1/3 full I make it into french dressIng --- given that recipe many times now here!! I put a funnel on top. add spices followed by canola oil to wash it all in there then shake. LABEL IT. it os frugal but more importantly its better than anything I can buy in the stores!
I'm still waiting for that guy who says he makes hi s owm ketchup to post that one! From the secret recfipe thread. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 4:29:42 AM | i experiment all the time with leftovers and odds and ends and the meals usually turn out pretty good,most of them my kids have asked me to make again..hard to do at times when you don't remember all the ingredients you've used..lol.they never turn out the same twice!!
one meal i've recently put together as my daughter wanted something different was a combination of corn peas,left over mashed potatoes,brown beans,onions,garlic, basil and celery seed.i threw all of this together into a frying pan (with some olive oil in a cast iron pan..as potatoes brown easier in one) and my daughter loved it.she doesn't normally like brown baked beans but she loved them done up this way and i've mad this twice since.she just loves it. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 4:30:59 AM | | Maybe some different kinds of chili or stews... | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 4:41:45 AM | I sometimes struggle with this same problem.
That solution is planning.
Mixing together condiments will get you nowhere unless it's really similar like soy, oyster sauce and chilli oil.
I think the best way to approach it is to see what condiment you have that you want to get rid of and just plan a meal around it. Don't feel like you need to kill 3 birds with one stone.
Too much mustard? Just think of something that uses a lot of mustard. Don't bother mixing it with a lot of different things because it won't taste good and the effort will be too much. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 6:22:35 AM | OP,
Name stuff you want to get rid of. Your post is too generic. Thanks! | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 11:55:12 AM | I never grew up with jars of mustard, ketchup and your traditional condiments...just not in our diet.
Yes, dried mustard for cooking..but.. I consider condiments in my kitchen to be alternative flavourings.
Having grown up with a Mom who was a Home Ec teacher, and later a chef... I use to make everything from scratch.
I have kids now and rely on a lot of mixes.
my pantry has Curry Pastes, Thai, South Asian, I have a lot of small pouches of spices ready to go... .trying out new stuff now that the kids are older... gone back to using flavours to enhance food...not to burn or shock our palates.
I have cans of Coconut milk in the pantry too.
the fridge is stocked with a small jar of Basil Pesto, a few jars of curries such as Butter Chicken Paste.
I invested in a Stock Base, it is concentrated bouillon...in a jar...to be kept in the fridge.... a nice alternative and more flavourable than your dried bouillon. The stock bases come in beef, chicken, turkey etc... I bought it in case I didn't have enough drippings for my turkey gravy last Thanksgiving and I was pleasantly surprised...apparently it is a professional chef secret, they buy the stuff and use it in bulk.
I keep fresh ginger, garlic and brown skinned onions, shallots on hand, sea salt.
I have a planter box with oregano, mint, chives on the deck....lavender too...which I want to find a way to incorporate in my foods this year.
I find that the basics around can always be grabbed in a pinch and add some flavour and up the dish and surprise everyone. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 12:35:06 PM | 1)Make up a new salad dressing. 2)Anything tastes good on chicken.
I like to close my eyes, smell something , and think what would compliment the flavor? Vinegary things need to be tempered by some sweetness, like a jam, or caramelized sugar. Peanut butter adds dimension to many foods. Lemon juice is a flavor enhancement. Honey with mustard. barbeque sauce w/ enchilada sauce is good on beef or pork. Ranch dressing is a good all around flavoring for lots of stuff. Add salsa to get cool ranch. Certain ethnic foods only go with like things, but others can become a nouveau culinary delight. Just write it down, so you can re-create if needed. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 7:23:15 PM | | WOW What great creative ideas! Thank you. It is indeed the more commonly used condiments that seem to "breed" in your fridge. Jams, mustards , salad dressings and bbq sauce. I must have several of each and taking up space, but don't want to throw them out. The more obsure things like chile paste, red curry paste and miso will last for a long time. I made homemade minestrone and used up some ketchup.....it worked. The sweetness of the ketchup cut the acid of tomatoe. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 7:48:02 PM | I invested in a Stock Base, it is concentrated bouillon...in a jar...to be kept in the fridge.... a nice alternative and more flavourable than your dried bouillon. The stock bases come in beef, chicken, turkey etc... I bought it in case I didn't have enough drippings for my turkey gravy last Thanksgiving and I was pleasantly surprised...apparently it is a professional chef secret, they buy the stuff and use it in bulk.
I have bbeen sayiung this for ages now.
SD's go great on BLTs/sammies. throw bits in eggsalad or potato salad--- fantastic with tuna -- check my mayo free tuna sandwich thread.
jams work great in stir fries -- teriyaki... sweet n sour n salty is like a mainstay in oriental cooking. even fancy french duck ala range can be peach preserve chicken. glazes .. also good in or on pastries. jellyrolls!
google on the sites that lket you use just one ingredient.... recipezaar.com is one I think | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/11/2008 7:53:49 PM | | Tiger Sauce is great snuck into the mix for 'devil'd eggs'. Instead of paprika on the top, use some cayenne pepper................................................ Watch those senior citizens though - they're not used to seasoned food to much (at least, not around here!). | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 2:13:36 AM | Hey Western Rose and Random.
Where do you find concentrated boullion? I always have soups on the go and can't keep enough stock on hand. I hate the powdered stuff. Perhaps it's a US thing. Is it a concentrate paste like miso? My husband had been a chef de cuisine by trade but had never seen that.
Good idea Random about the jam in a stir fry. I can see that. Perhaps a grape or black currant jelly to offset some spiciness and give the sauce a little substance without using cornstarch. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 12:51:13 PM |
Where do you find concentrated boullion? You may need to look in the specialty shops or suppliers for it. I had a quart from SYSCO, but was too salty for my liking. The Kedem powdered is very good for a powder, and almost reasonable for salt.
You can also make your own (my option for soup lately) by making the various stocks and reducing them. I go to about 50 to 75% reduction for soups anyway and then freeze them in pint+ containers- add 1/2 again as much water and re-heat. When I was making stock from scratch, I'd go as far as a 25% reduction and freeze in the mini-ice cube trays. Remove from the tray after a week, toss them in just a little cornstarch to keep from freezing together, and then into a ziploc bag back in the freezer. One cube was good for about a pint of reconstituted stock for soups, two cubes for gravy or sauces. | |
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Posted: 4/12/2008 1:50:05 PM | This was such an appropriate thread as I JUST received my brand new LG fridge/freezer (means Life's Good for you curious minds) TODAY...Yay....Yay....Yay...as this was the fourth one that they were delivering, but this one came without scratches and/or damage.
So, of course, I had the dutiful task of removing the items from the old fridge to the new one and, it is so nice to have an express freezer button that gets the freezer working fast to keep the items from melting since it takes awhile for the new one to get cold enough.
In doing so, I was able to see what needed to be thrown out or recycled (as in the glass or plastics) and, quite frankly, I really don't open any jars of anything new until I have finished up the ones that I already have so I was lucky this time. Well, I DID find two jars of soy sauce so I guess I'll have to do some sesame chicken which I marinate in soy sauce, pineapple juice, sesame seeds (of course), dark brown sugar, sliced pickled ginger and teriyaki sauce, coarse black pepper, fresh garlic for 24 hours and then grill it or bake it in the oven. Comes out delishhhhhhhhh.
In any case, I don't have any doubles of any condiments, i.e, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc....so I'm good with that.
Okay..going to go figure out what to make for din din and enjoy admiring my new fridge.
~~Beth~~  | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 2:42:20 PM | Congratulations on your new fridge! Envious . I buy WAY too much and a lot goes to waste. I think I was a Jewish baba in a previous lifetime.
Recipe sounds delish btw. Thank you! | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 7:35:56 PM | You almost do have to know some one. I know some one at a local coffee roasting plant/warehouse so they have it in 1 #, 9 # and like 20# tubs. Takes me years to get through a 9 pounder.
But they also service the MN Vikings NFL team all the way down to prisons/jails and everything in between.
The most interesting thing is each coffee chain has its own roast & blend. They also carry other "propritary" items like BBQ sauces and hot and cold cappuccinos...
a little leftover jam rinsed out with some apple cider or wine vingar will make a nice sweet n sour dipping sauce, too. splash of soy if needed.
experienced cooks tend to be frugal -- we just keep processing things -- this from a guy who just nuked & ground up two dozen worth of egg shells for my plants --- lettuce, basil, and tomatoes I will grow later. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 11:20:33 PM | | I usually take A-1/Ketchup/BBQ sauce and make a homemade sauce for burgers/steak/porkchops. Another good one is to use crackers with homemade mac and cheese for a filling but cruncky meal ^_^ | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/12/2008 11:42:28 PM |
I don't care for coleslaw
One cube chicken bullion, enough water. Boil water with bullion, add coleslaw, cook till tender, drain, add butter, eat. Delicious!
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/13/2008 1:53:29 AM | Bought the Bouillon Paste at Save On Foods in Lynn Valley in canned and dry stock aisle.
Better Than Bouillon, made by Superior Touch
you get 41 serving portions per jar - the jar is 8oz in total
the pic on the label top shows that 1 tsp of the product =1 cube / or 1- 8oz can of broth.
it is that concentrated of a product.
it is a USA product.
the website is Canadian. .. i think.; SUPERIORTOUCH.com
so... I jar of the paste is the equivalent to 41 cans of liquid stock.
I checked tonight and it is $7.99 a jar.
Turkey, Chicken, Beef or Vegetable stock are the choices. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/13/2008 1:56:21 AM | Holy Moly...check out the website ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ vegan base too... lobster base...wow!..and recipes and packs to add to slow cookers....going to look at it all now..wow...wow...nice...it is a good product btw. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/13/2008 2:18:48 AM | | There are two great recipe books call "Recipes from the backs of bottles, boxes and jars". If you can locate them, lots of recipes for odds and ends. | |
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| condiment question
Posted: 4/13/2008 7:44:53 AM | I can't wait to find some of that stuff Westernrose. That's a great deal when you think about it. What I love about soups is you can throw in most anything.
Chicken tonight...........need some ideas. I'ld love a creative glaze using perhaps bbq sauce, perhaps incorperating black currant jelly............what would you add to this? | |
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