Recycling food is a good way to save money (that you can use to “re-invest” in quality products). Consequently, I try not to toss cooked food, and I try to cook in a compartmentalized fashion, so components can be subbed in as basic condiments to enhance later dishes. That is effectively what the best high end restaurants do. Most dishes are pre-cooked so that they can be “fired” or finished in a quick and efficient fashion without a drop in the actual quality of the food served. If you are served pork shoulder and it is meltingly tender – that shoulder meat has likely had to cook for well over 2 hours, meaning it was cooking long before you sat down and ordered it. Yes and No, its like at home where you cut a square out of Mom’s left-over casserole dish, except at the high end restaurants it is re-heated to optimal temperature, seared or sauced, and finished with a bunch of fresh touches that make it seem like something far more than “left-overs.”
I picked up some beautiful broccoli at the Saturday market and wanted to give it a try. I cut the florets off each bunch and oven roasted them. I cut the stalk portion into strips and pickled them (inspired by Mollie Katzen's recipe), adding lemon peel and cloves of garlic to the jar. We’ll see how they turn out in the next couple of days. I am finding I really like farm-fresh eggs, especially soft-boiled ones. I like the zip of vinegar with the vegetables, and the yolk and egg white add the protein and fat to round out the experience.
Here we have a bed of mixed-baby greens, some leftover roasted onions (w/ bacon fat) from last night, the roasted broccoli florets on top. I sprinkled some classic blend of cajun seasoning on top of each egg and then cut them to make sure they weren't over cooked. Topped with some salt, pepper, balsamic and red wine vinegar. Really easy and tasty- an accidentally vegetarian and substantial salad that even a carnivore can enjoy.
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