Zero Waste Cooking Demonstrations

This recipe uses leftover roast carrots and parsnips, as well as all the peelings and trimmings which would normally be thrown away. It also features British pulses and organic British hazelnuts and rapeseed oil, for a sustainably sourced variation on the classic Mediterranean dish.

Ingredients

• 250g cold roast carrots (leftover from Sunday roast)
• 250g cold roast parsnips (leftover from Sunday roast)
• 100g carrot peelings and tops
• 100g parsnip peelings and tops
• 150g British hazelnuts
• 250g British chickpeas, yellow peas or Carlin peas
• 150ml organic rapeseed oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. In a pan on medium heat, roast the hazelnuts under golden brown. Remove from the pan and transfer to a food processor.
2. In the same pan, add 50g of the rapeseed oil and then cook the carrot and parsnip peelings and tops until they are soft. Add to the hazelnuts in the food processor and blend together until a smooth paste.
3. Roughly chop the leftover roast carrots and parsnips and add to the food processor.
4. Add the cooked chickpeas, remaining rapeseed oil and salt and then blend unti smooth.
5. Serve with bread sticks or flatbread.

This pesto recipe is great to use up the leftover leaves in your refrigerator, and is especially useful as it can be made with healthy leaves or with older, brown or slightly frozen ones. This recipe can be frozen in small portions using ice cube trays and used as a dip, dressing or sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 large handfuls of leftover salad leaves (British watercress, British rocket, baby spinach, iceberg, cos lettuce, etc.)
• 100g grated Berkswell cheese (or similar mild and nutty cheese)
• 100ml rapeseed oil
• 100g organic British walnuts
• Sea salt to taste

Method

1. In a food processor, blend the walnuts until they resemble a coarse powder.
2. Add the grated Berkswell and the leaves.
3. Turn the food processor on and slowly add the oil until the mix is blended and resembles pesto.
4. Season to taste the sea salt.
5. Serve with breadsticks, as a salad dressing or warm up as a pasta sauce.

This recipe has been designed with British, sustainable and organic products in mind. It uses whole broccoli and cauliflower heads to produce no food waste, but it is also a delicious way of using your leftover broccoli and cauliflower stems and leaves. The harissa paste can be made in larger amounts and frozen for later use.

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tbsp harissa (see below)

Method

1. Pick off the florets from the broccoli and cauliflower and then slice the stems.
2. On an oven proof tray, roast the stem slices in the oven at 180°c for 5 to 8 minutes.
3. When the stems start to colour, add the florets from the cauliflower and broccoli and then roast for a further 6 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, add the harissa and then toss the roasted broccoli and cauliflower in the harissa to coat well.
5. Return the broccoli and cauliflower to the hot oven for 5 minutes.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the harissa

• 20 mixed chilis (heat to preference)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp organic cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 125 ml organic rapeseed oil

Method

1. In a small pan, roast the coriander seeds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn.
2. Transfer to mortar and ground to a fine powder with the pestle. (Or use a small blender)
3. Add the chilis, garlic, sea salt and vinegar and grind until a smooth paste.
4. Mix in the tomato paste and rapeseed oil.