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Purge the Larder


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Congratulations hummingbirdkiss on your clean pantry! I'm a terrible hoarder, and the problem is made worse by a decision my BF and I made that we wouldn't buy "stuff" when we traveled except for food. Food was made the exception because it would be used up instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust. But we know how that goes. :hmmm: We're combining households in a couple of months, and I think I should start purging now. OK, truth be told, I'm really afraid that I should start purging now. I've got bags and boxes of eight different grains, between five and six pounds of pasta, three quarts of honey, gallons of preserves, a giant bag of lentils, a refrigerator full of condiments, several pounds of chocolate, partial boxes of three different cocoas, five different types of flour, then the cornmeals and masas etc. etc. Then there's the stuff way at the back that is blocked by all this stuff. I'm willing to move wine, homemade preserves, spices, and some condiments, I think.

So far I've used up a bag of chickpeas (half for hummous, half in the freezer for hummous later) and about half of one bag of wheat berries (in a salad with roasted beets and kale). Tonight's dinner will be a red wine barley risotto with mushrooms. This will use up the barley, the last of a bottle of red wine that didn't get finished, and some of the dried mushrooms.

Thank you for the inspiration!

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Thanks Rachel ..I am now this morning 50 and yes I feel old!!! 50 is NOT the new 40 or 30 ..(you have no idea how many people have said that pile of crap to me!) but I am at 50 years old today and leaving town for 3 day in my dear fathers home land of Canada to celebrate!!! with the cleanest kitchen on the planet!!! ( I am sure the young man house sitting is only concerned with what is IN my kitchen not how clean it is however!!! and I had ot buy a fresh supply of food for him!!)

Iperry thank you...barley risotto? I have never had that ..is is prepared the same way? I will have to try it for sure!

..it is really nice to have set a goal and reach it since this began I have only had one bowl of Pho out (when I could not stand to be in my kitchen one more second) ...got rid of all the must gos...fed my friends...and last nights dinner was set to be the final meal out of the larder and it was....

I did not loose any of this pudge I put on this winter ...but that is ok I am 50 and can be a little chubby I guess ..argh...I am 50 ..the big 5 0 how the hell did that happen :raz:

why am I always at the bottom and why is everything so high? 

why must there be so little me and so much sky?

Piglet 

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Regardless of how you feel Hummingbirdkiss, happy birthday to you!

I have managed to use up half a head of cabbage and a can of corned beef for Corned Beef Cabbage Soup. Then I used up some eggs, squid, leek and rice noodles to make Pancit Palabok (Filipino Noodles in Seafood Sauce).

Have also taken down a bag of pork and beef bones to make stock. I threw in scraps of veggies (celery, onion, leeks) and boy it was a great tasting stock. Tomorrow I plan to make Sinaing na Tulingan (Skipjack Stew) with two Skipjacks, ginger, belimbi powder mix and pork skin and fat.

This is a wonderful thread. I have emptied one cupboard already and the veggie bin in fridge is half empty.

Doddie aka Domestic Goddess

"Nobody loves pork more than a Filipino"

eGFoodblog: Adobo and Fried Chicken in Korea

The dark side... my own blog: A Box of Jalapenos

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Here's another happy birthday wish!

The barley risotto is something I have never made, but I have read about it and thought I would give it a go. According to Epicurious, you prepare it the same way, or you can do it in the pressure cooker for 18 minutes after adding the wine. That sounds too long to me (ever the skeptic), so I may try it for ten minutes or so to cook the barley most of the way, then finish it with the lid off. Unfortunately, BF developed a terrible stomach flu Monday afternoon, so I haven't cooked since then. I'm crossing my fingers for tonight.

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I still haven't gotten around to an actual written inventory, but for the last two weeks I've eaten almost all pantry meals. So far:

- Salad with roasted salmon, goat cheese and bacon, with roasted sweet potatoes

- Soy/lime/garlic chicken over white rice, and quick pickled cukes with rice win vinegar

- Meatloaf, mac and cheese, corn

- Spicy red beans and rice, more quick pickles

- Fried pork chops and risotto

- Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, skillet broccoli

- Tomato soup, mac and cheese, green salad

- Green tomato curry

I think the only things I've bought have been milk, yogurt, orange juice, and some shallots (for the risotto).

Still to come is:

- A big batch of tuna salad for lunches

- A mass of tacos/quesadillas/burritoes with mexican rice

- 6 individual homeade frozen pot pies

- 8 huge peices of frozen homemade lasagna

- 5 # of locally made sausages/brats (going to take to a grilling get together on Saturday)

- Smoked turkey soup

I need help figuring out what to do with:

- 1 # of lamb ribs

- 2 # of ham slices, frozen as a giant block - I'm thinking of making a week's worth of lunches using frozen croissants, but that won't use 2#!

- a package labeled 1# leg of lamb ends (from a local farm)

Any suggestions?

"Nothing you could cook will ever be as good as the $2.99 all-you-can-eat pizza buffet." - my EX (wonder why he's an ex?)

My eGfoodblog: My corner of the Midwest

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thanks so much for the birthday wishes! :wub: now I am officially in my 50's so the shock is some what over!

"I need help figuring out what to do with:

- 1 # of lamb ribs

- 2 # of ham slices, frozen as a giant block - I'm thinking of making a week's worth of lunches using frozen croissants, but that won't use 2#!

- a package labeled 1# leg of lamb ends (from a local farm)

Any suggestions?"

here you go Dividend my idea's for the use ups

lamb ribs ...do a soy, honey and sesame glaze and bake them

ham slices ..ham salad maybe?

lamb ends ..I would do a low slow curry them or make a vindaloo stew or you could grind it up and make lamb meatballs?

let us know!

Iperry hope your guy is feeling better ..I would love to see a pic of the barley risotto I am going to try that for sure ..barley is such a bargain and goes so good with lamb beautifully I would love to try this ..(I tossed my pressure cooker it exploded on me and scared me to death! now I miss it)

Rachel what are "Texas 1015's"?

our birds are happy here too they loved my cleaning frenzy ..so did the squrrels!

Doddie good for you too can you tell me more about "Sinaing na Tulingan"? I see skipjack here at the markets....but have never cooked it.. and honestly have never made a pork stock..I can not believe it but I haven't!! ..every other kind of stock ..and I have used ham bones to make soup but never just the pork trimmings and bones that have not been smoked..not sure why ...now I will that is for sure!

why am I always at the bottom and why is everything so high? 

why must there be so little me and so much sky?

Piglet 

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HBK - Here is my mom's recipe for you.

Sinaing na tulingan

1 lb tulingan (skipjack tuna)

2 tablespoons rock salt

50 grams pork skin with some fat on, sliced into strips

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup tamarind juice or better belimbi juice (or sinigang belimbi mix)

3 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, sliced

1 thumbsize ginger, crushed

2 pieces green chili pepper (korean kind, the ones that are not spicy)

4 cups water

1. Remove gills and all internal organs of the fish. Slit both sides of the fish and press against the sides with palms of the hands to flatten the fish and soften its flesh. Wash thoroughly under running water, till water runs clear. Rub fish with salt in and out.

2 In a saucepan, arrange the pork fat at the bottom. Put the fish on top side by side. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 1/2 hour till the pork fat has gone soft and mushy and sauce is almost 1/3 left. Serve with steamed rice.

Importance of the Pork fat:

You would need pork fat with skin on to layer the bottom of the pan. It adds to the flavor of the dish and adds that distinctive taste to the sauce (which is so addictive on rice).

Dipping sauce for this dish is fish sauce mixed with calamansi juice.

For the pork broth - my butcher gave me a bag of bones with marrow in them. I roasted the bones, ate the marrow and froze them until I took them out to make pork stock. I found a couple of roasted beef bones too (from a previous Osso Buco meal) and threw that in the pot as well. The stock that came out was milky and so tasty good. I have been enjoying it as ramen broth with noodles and have added it to my Corned Beef and Cabbage soup. Sooo good.

Doddie aka Domestic Goddess

"Nobody loves pork more than a Filipino"

eGFoodblog: Adobo and Fried Chicken in Korea

The dark side... my own blog: A Box of Jalapenos

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Geez. I am really impressed with all of this activity !

I frequently buy romaine lettuce for Cesar salad or Vietnamese spring rolls and then have lots that gets mushy in the drawer. Last night I sliced it up and threw it in a pan with oil, garlic and ginger, gave it a quick stirfry, just until it began to wilt. Squeezed some lime on it .....and it was terrific! A little crunchy, a little bitter....this is a keeper even without it being a leftover.

Who knew???

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I love this topic - I've been contemplating my pantry for a while now; but, I had a really bad cold about three weeks ago and I haven't felt like cooking anything but pasta with a little butter and parmesan since then.  Eating is not a problem - just cooking!  Hopefully I will want to cook again soon...

Now, I am away from home for two weeks for work - They sent me with very short notice so it was a good thing that I didn't have a lot of fresh ingredients around since there is no one there to eat them.  If I remember correctly here is what I have to get through...

Fridge:

Shredded mozz, about 1 cup

Parmesan, about 1/2 cup block

shredded cheddar, about 1 cup

coconut milk - 1/2 a can (may need to be thrown out?)

sake - 3/4 of a bottle - does this go bad?

Rhubarb-ginger preserves, 1/4 jar

tamarind concentrate

spicy mustard

sour cream, 1/2 cup - if still good

Tamari, 1/2 bottle

3 carrots

2 baby bok choy (probably spoiled)

1/2 package of celery (probably spoiled)

3 limes

fresh ginger

walnuts, 1 1/2 cups

peanuts, 1 cup

sund dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup

capers, 3/4 jar

Freezer:

Cooked Chicken thigh meat, shredded, 1 pound

Homemade chicken broth, 2 quarts

boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1/2 pound

pizza dough - for one 12" pizza

homemade pesto - about 1 cup

lemongrass, 2 stalks

paneer, 1/4 pound

homemade tomato sauce, 1 quart

peas

corn

Pantry:

thin rice noodles

thick rice noodles

rice paper wrappers

sticky rice - 1 quart

Basmati Rice, 1 pint

Pasta - 4 pounds, various shapes

Golden lentils, 1 quart

green lentils, 1 cup

dried, unsweetened coconut

black beans, 1 pint

black beans, 1 can

Coconut milk, 1 can

baby corn, 1 can

Chipotles in adobo, 1 can

Oils / Vinegars / Condiments:

Light Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Corn Oil

Fish Sauce

Oyster Sauce

Rice Wine Vinegar

Cider Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar

Worcestershire Sauce

Soy Sauce

Quoting my own post, but oh well...

I'm back from two weeks of living in a hotel and am eager to cook again. None of the fresh veggies survived, of course, so I've picked up a few things and I am ready to get started.

First up:

Chicken corn chowder with the frozen thigh meat and frozen corn

Chicken & lentil stew with the green lentils and chicken thigh meat.

Small batches of those should get me through the next week!

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This is excellent! Whether or not it is intentional, you all are providing me with the necessary combination of inspiration and guilt. :smile: Tonight, I am combining one package of feta (somehow we ended up with two) and some sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil and herbs out of a giant jar that has been half empty for a while (Costco strikes again). This will go onto toasted bread taken from the freezer. An odd dinner, I know, but BF is now eating again, and when I mentioned the surplus feta, he suggested this. The remaining tomatoes will be blenderized with the last of the chickpeas for some sun-dried-tomato hummous.

The barley risotto was interesting. It had more texture and less creaminess than rice risotto, but I liked the nutty flavor with the mushrooms.

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I need help figuring out what to do with:

- 1 # of lamb ribs

- 2 # of ham slices, frozen as a giant block - I'm thinking of making a week's worth of lunches using frozen croissants, but that won't use 2#!

- a package labeled 1# leg of lamb ends (from a local farm)

Any suggestions?

Oh dear--the ham slices remind me of a story a foodie friend told me a long time ago. He, or someone he knew (it's been a long time since he told me this story) happened upon an elaborate but delicious-sounding recipe for a ham loaf and decided to try it out. He set to work chopping the ham and adding all the ingredients and doing all the other carryings on ... the house smelled fabulous as the loaf baked ... then he pulls it out, dishes it up, cuts himself a slice, tastes it--and comes to the realization: "Oh my god--I've just made Spam!" :laugh:

Despite this story, I'm wondering if there isn't a way to make a tasty ham-based meatloaf from all that frozen ham (as opposed to having it come out tasting like glorified Spam). :biggrin:

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Whether or not it is intentional, you all are providing me with the necessary combination of inspiration and guilt. 

Now, see----THAT'S the REAL Mother of Invention. Necessity has caught folks off guard more times than prepared. THIS is inspirational. And guilt-inducing---just the right proportions of each.

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"Oh my god--I've just made Spam!"  :laugh:

Despite this story, I'm wondering if there isn't a way to make a tasty ham-based meatloaf from all that frozen ham (as opposed to having it come out tasting like glorified Spam). :biggrin:

OMG! This just gave me a huge blast from my past! (It's funny how food memories bring back things you've long forgot about!)

Many, many, many years ago, I was an eager young theatre major at a small college in Missouri. Over Spring Break, we did a "tour" of high schools in Kansas and Oklahoma. Our troupe was parcelled out each night to various homes in whatever community we'd landed in. For some reason, every lovely, gracious hostess I was assigned to decided that ham loaf would be the perfect thing to serve a hungry college kid! :wub::blink:

I'd never had the pleasure of eating ham loaf before that week and have never eaten it again! But, I sure ate a lot of it that week! :biggrin:

For me, once ham has been frozen, there's nothing worthwhile to do with it except use it for seasoning soup, beans, veg, etc. Freezing ham really changes the texture in a negative way.

Pam

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I wonder if I used ham to make ham loaf if you could make spam musubi?

I imagine you could and it might just even be better?

No matter how bad I feel about anything or how crappy the weather is ...when I take a HUGE bite of a really shoyu soaked Spam Musubi :smile: I feel the sun on my face and sand between my toes ..

I have everything but the Spam..including the crappy weather and the bummed out mood! ....but I do have some frozen ham ...soooo

how do I do this?

Edited by hummingbirdkiss (log)
why am I always at the bottom and why is everything so high? 

why must there be so little me and so much sky?

Piglet 

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I was with you all the way to "dust your hands with salt to keep the rice from sticking." All that soy sauce, AND salt all over each piece? Everything else sounded pretty good---and why NOT ham? I'll bet you could cut it into perfect little rectangles. Don't forget to round off the corners!!

Aw-then-tissss-ity.

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"Oh my god--I've just made Spam!"  :laugh:

Despite this story, I'm wondering if there isn't a way to make a tasty ham-based meatloaf from all that frozen ham (as opposed to having it come out tasting like glorified Spam). :biggrin:

OMG! This just gave me a huge blast from my past! (It's funny how food memories bring back things you've long forgot about!)

Many, many, many years ago, I was an eager young theatre major at a small college in Missouri. Over Spring Break, we did a "tour" of high schools in Kansas and Oklahoma. Our troupe was parcelled out each night to various homes in whatever community we'd landed in. For some reason, every lovely, gracious hostess I was assigned to decided that ham loaf would be the perfect thing to serve a hungry college kid! :wub::blink:

I'd never had the pleasure of eating ham loaf before that week and have never eaten it again! But, I sure ate a lot of it that week! :biggrin:

For me, once ham has been frozen, there's nothing worthwhile to do with it except use it for seasoning soup, beans, veg, etc. Freezing ham really changes the texture in a negative way.

Pam

This has intense memories for me also. I can recall vividly the time that I, armed with the (at that time) new Spice Islands Cookbook, attempted a "spiced ham loaf" that took half a day to prepare.

On tasting it my husband (ex Navy man) put down his fork and congratulated me on re-inventing "Spam."

I was mortified but he assured me that unlike most of his fellow sailors, he actually liked the stuff, and in fact often visited the non-com's mess because it was seldom served to the officers.

However, I never prepared that particular recipe again. I did discover another ham loaf recipe that was more like one of the preparations one would have seen in the 18th and early 19th century and included prunes and other dried fruits as well as horseradish and mustard.

I haven't made that one for a number of years but just thinking of it reminds me that it was very popular with my guests and I never had leftovers.

I have a generous amount of dried fruits that I did not use during the holidays and this should use up a good amount.

Thank you!

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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This discussion about spam reminded me of an article that appeared in Saveur magazine years ago, about an all-spam dinner that Thomas Keller cooked for a friend who professed to love spam. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/16773 Too bad I couldn't find the article online, though.

But while I was rooting around in a Google search, I found a blog feature about Anthony Bourdain and his new favorite ingredient, spam. Check out the spam menu that Bourdain cooked in Hawaii.

http://www.inuyaki.com/archives/127

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that is so funny...ok so my musubi was not cut or plated as nicely as his!

and the pumpkin plate ..well ok it was there ..and really I am not into or able to really plate food nicely I am afraid

I just love to eat

Edited by hummingbirdkiss (log)
why am I always at the bottom and why is everything so high? 

why must there be so little me and so much sky?

Piglet 

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dividend, perhaps you should make spam out of those frozen ham slices after all. You can be part of a new food fashion about to sweep the world... (maybe). :laugh:

Alternatively, you can go with some Julia Child recipes for ham slices in her Mastering the Art vol 1. If you don't have the cookbook, some bloggers have adapted the recipes.

Tranches De Jambon Morvandelle (Sauteed Ham Slices in Cream and Madeira Sauce) http://iliketocook.blogspot.com/2007/08/ju...ent-day-of.html

Ham slices in piperade. http://marriedwithdinner.com/2007/08/15/paying-the-piperade/

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I have a better idea of what's in my pantry, now that I've been cleaning it all out. I did have to throw some things away. It's always hard to do that, but there are some things that I could never use up. And some of the spices were pretty old. I've got to stop buying them in large portions. A side benefit to the cleaning is that I've got my test tube rack filled with spices--it's pretty cool! I got a fifty-space test tube rack, and wasn't too surprised that I have fifty spices to put into it. Okay, I cheated a bit with the sesame seeds and wasabi powder, but it looks nice.

Now to use up all the frozen soup...

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I'll have to post a photo. I searched for one that I would like, but nothing was available locally and was too expensive online. So I just bought some test tubes, caps and corks, and a holder online from a supply company. I wouldn't have minded getting a smaller one, but I like this one.

I had originally bought the test tubes and lids to put vanilla beans in, but liked the idea of a spice rack, too. Dean and DeLuca has one for about $150, which I liked but wasn't about to spend that much. I had a few smaller ones in my kitchen (repurposed toothbrush holders) but they didn't hold enough.

So for about ten bucks for the rack https://www.testtubesonline.com/PhotoGaller...ode=211%2D0022W and not a whole lot of money for the tubes, I got something I'm happy with.

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