Anatomy of a Leftover
“Fusion cuisine” is the latest trend–it’s innovative, intriguing, and embraces all the foods that the world has to offer. It’s also astonishingly simple to create using leftovers. Don’t think you have anything in the fridge for dinner? Craving flair instead of humdrum? Try mixing and matching what you already have. How’s this idea: chicken satay + leftover BBQ pizza = killer Malaysian-style flavors. (Many Asian dishes are based on peanut sauces and spices.) You never know where fantastic taste combinations are lurking!
The dish above is a conglomerate of fresh (zucchini & onion), my own leftovers (a chicken tandoori dinner I had made) and a restaurant doggie bag (the already-seasoned rice that had accompanied Lebanese chicken shawarma & lamb kebabs). All I did was sauteé the fresh veggies over high heat until they were browned, then de-glazed the pan with some water and the tandoori sauce (which included the red peppers). The final step was to add the rice and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce had been absorbed into the rice and the ingredients were heated through.
I have to say, the result was pretty spectacular: not only did the Indian spices (turmeric, ginger, coriander) compliment the Lebanese emphasis on garlic and lemon, but dinner was done in ten minutes flat…and with a considerable amount of flair.
Be brave and try your own concoctions–you never know which odd couples will make good bedfellows!
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