"The best cook is the one who can handle leftovers." During confinement, this sentence from chef Guy Legay could become the leitmotif of experienced cooks. If leftovers accumulate in your fridge, there is no question of throwing them away. Chefs Yves Camdeborde and Olivier Poels give you their tips on Europe 1 to boost your dishes with peels, ketchup or mustard.
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Gourmet crisps with potato peelings
A simple mash of potatoes is enough to give you ideas. Yves Camdeborde, for example, imagined a recipe for potato chips. "I made a mash of potatoes. As my children peeled them with a knife, the peels were thick. An idea then occurred to me," says the chef. "I made my classic puree and I kept the peelings. I washed and dried them well and I fried them. I ended up with a kind of crisps. It was crisp and fluffy".
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An anti-waste broth
For his part, Olivier Poels advises the creation of a "perpetual broth". "I take my biggest pan in which I put a lot of water. I add tops, peels and leftover washed vegetables and I cook at a boil," he explains. An ideal tip that adapts to many dishes. "I use this broth to make a risotto or to prepare pasta. Rather than cooking my asparagus in water, I cook them in this broth. I use it all the time," specifies Olivier Poels.
A syrup made from strawberry tails
Peelings can also be recycled as a dessert. Laurent Mariotte is a fan of syrup made from strawberry tails. "I remove the peduncles and calyxes from the strawberries and make a syrup with a glass of water and a glass of sugar. I put the strawberry tails to soak in this mixture overnight in the fridge. Then I use syrup to water my strawberries cut into pieces ", explains Laurent Mariotte.
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The mince pie to recycle leftover meat
The mince pie may well be a classic of French cuisine, but it is also very useful for using leftover meat. For the twister, Yves Camdeborde has a tip. "When you make your mash, you make it with potatoes and carrots and you add a little orange juice," he advises.
Lamb curry, stir-fried veal or a fish dish can also be used for small stuffed dishes from Nice made with seasonal vegetables, such as potatoes or button mushrooms.
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Sauces made with three times nothing
Rather than buying ready-made sauces, a few ingredients from the bottom of your fridge can help you imagine new sauces. Yves Camdeborde is inspired by a ketchup-based sauce invented by chef Joël Robuchon. "I steamed a little cod and browned the butter. I made a hazelnut butter, I added ketchup, a little vinegar and I mixed," explains Yves Camdeborde.
Olivier Poels advises to make his vinaigrette directly in an almost empty jar of mustard. "We add the oil, the vinegar and the spices. We shake well and we have a ready-to-use dressing," he describes.