LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2019

INSIDE SCOOP Wondering what to do about food waste? We’ve got seven easy and delicious ways to pitch in by not pitching it out! Waste Not,Want Not

Feta water makes a great brine, too!

By Signe Langford

Pickle Juice Just because the pickles are gone, doesn’t mean the juice is done! Collect the juice into one big jar in the fridge, then heat and pour over shelled, hardboiled eggs for quick pickled eggs. Or use it a drop a time to add zing to vinaigrettes and egg- , tuna- or salmon- salad sandwiches; it also makes a great brine for meat or poultry. Shrimp and Lobster Shells Roasted and finely ground (powdered in a spice or coffee mill), it’s the special ingredient for true creamy, classic seafood bisque. Or cover whole shells with water, add herbs and spices, simmer for 30 minutes, and strain for a versatile stock. Watermelon Rind For a gorgeous and surprising addition to a cheese board, the hard, green rind can be diced, then pickled into a sweet, tangy, crunchy treat. Wash well, remove all pink flesh, pour hot pickle brine over the cubes, refrigerate, then wait a couple of weeks. Citrus Peels Lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange… so much flavour lies trapped in those pretty skins. Scrape away the bitter white pith, cut into strips, and boil in sugar water for candied citrus peel. Or for fish-finishing citrus salt, leave peels to dry in a jar of sea salt, then grind. Ditto for white sugar. Add peels to cider vinegar for flavoured cooking vinegar, or to white vinegar for scented cleaning vinegar.

Parmesan Rind Nonna knew that rock-hard Parmesan rind was too good to toss; instead, it was dropped whole into a simmering pot of soup, tomato sauce or ragu, infusing the dish with its rich, unmistakeable umami. The rind would be discarded only after it had given everything it had to give.

The number of perfectly tasty tidbits that end up in the trash is a relatively new phenomenon. In times past, our ancestors knew just what to do with all the off-cuts and leftover bits; they ate nose to tail and root to tip before it was hip—and all the rest went out back to the hens! Food waste isn’t just a problem for the environment, it also cuts into the budget. It’s not surprising that many of us are at a loss for what to do with leftovers and off-cuts; what is surprising is the num- ber of creative and tasty ways to divert perfectly good food before it hits the bin.

That last inch of wine Got a drop or two of wine left in the bottle but can’t drink another sip? If it seems like too little to save, start a collection in the freezer, pouring the dregs into a freezer bag or jar. Go ahead and mix labels—just make sure there’s one for red and one for white— and keep on adding wine until you can use it to braise some ribs, make a stew, or cook anything that calls for wine.

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AUTUMN 2019 FOOD & DRINK