CLE Takeout Guide: 3 Ways To Use Last Night’s Leftovers
Flying Fig chef and owner Karen Small help us repurpose food by rethinking how we heat stuff up or simply introducing new ingredients.
Use eggs to reconfigure most dishes.
Meat, potatoes and pasta are all hearty enough to stand on their own, but when combined with eggs, they create a whole new dish. Make a last-minute frittata by browning leftover pasta in a pan, pouring whisked eggs and cheese over it and baking it in the oven. “Eggs are a great binder for just about anything,” says Small.
Rethink your heating methods.
Leftover pizza can often get too chewy and greasy when left to sit overnight. Instead of relying on a microwave, retain some of the crunch by throwing a few slices in a cast-iron skillet and slowly browning them. “Cast iron skillets are thick, seasoned and they retain heat very well making the food cook more evenly,” says Small. “Try using a piece of foil over the skillet to simulate an oven.”
Throw in some rice when you’re out of ideas.
Just about anything in the fridge or freezer can be whipped up into a fried rice in minutes. Mix together some soy sauce, fish sauce and chili sauce and you’ve got the flavor profile to bring it all together. “Brown up the vegetables and your meat, throw your rice in, and combine the whole thing,” says Small. “Pour an egg into the middle, move the rice around and let the egg scramble through it. Add the sauce and you’ve got some pretty nice fried rice.”
