In celebration of Earth Day, here are 13 ways to to repurpose extra or overripe food

In celebration of Earth Day, here are 13 ways to to repurpose extra or overripe food

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. What would have been a massive celebration with marches, live concerts and clean-up projects around the world is now virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Being holed up, however, doesn’t mean we can’t do our part to lessen our impact on Mother Earth. With so many of us under quarantine, cooking is arguably moving from the rare occasion to a daily practice, an image that has this writer grinning ear to ear. In lieu of an outdoor celebration, the Earth Day challenge I propose is this: How can we apply the principles of conservation in our own kitchens and make the most of what we have on hand? Food waste is no small thing; according to the National Resources Defense Council, up to 40% of the food in the United States is never eaten.

What if we paused for a moment before throwing something away because it no longer serves its original purpose. What if we repurposed instead? No special skills or tools are required; in fact, if we think of kitchen conservation as the flexing of a muscle, imagine how strong we’ll be when we’re free to be in the great outdoors.

To get you started, I’ve served up 13 — aka a baker’s dozen — of some of my favorite, tried-and-true kitchen conservation tricks.

‘Quickle’

For the scraggly-looking or sprouting onion that you were about to toss, make a “quickle”: Thinly slice and place in a bowl. In a small saucepan, place 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and heat just until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour over the onions (or carrot sticks or sliced jalapeno chile pepper) and let them steep for 45 minutes, maybe an hour. You’ve got pickles! Store in the refrigerator.

It’s worth noting that raw alliums — any plant in the onion family — are easier to digest after a brief soak in vinegar or lemon juice, even for 15 minutes, no extra pickle ingredients required.

Pickle brine

Got pickle juice in a jar? Roast a chicken.

This kitchen hack comes from my friend Chandra Ram, editor of Plate magazine.

She writes: “I had only heard of it (pickle brine) for fried chicken before, but it was really great for a roast bird. I put a whole chicken in a bag, poured the brine on top, and let it sit in the fridge all day. I turned the bag every few hours to distribute the brine. Worked like a dream.”

Applesauce

Got apples in the crisper going soft? Make applesauce: Peel, core and roughly chop apples and place in a saucepan. Add just enough water to barely cover. Add a pinch of cinnamon if you want and sugar if the apples need sweetening. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the apples soften and thicken, about 12 minutes. Mash with a spoon if you want a more pureed consistency. That’s it.

Freeze extra tomato paste

Leftover tomato paste in a can? Scoop into an ice cube tray, cover with plastic or wax paper and freeze. Pop out and store in a bag or container in the freezer.

DIY Greek yogurt

A recipe calls for Greek yogurt, but what you have on hand is not labeled “Greek.” Place a fine metal sieve over a bowl and pour plain yogurt into the sieve, letting it drain for 30 minutes. You also can pour the yogurt in a few layers of cheesecloth: Tie or fasten the ends around the bowl so the cheesecloth is suspended and can hang.

Buttermilk improv

One cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar plus 10 minutes equals buttermilk. Ta-da!

Freeze your extras

Make friends with your freezer. Freeze leftover broth, spaghetti sauce, cookie dough, pizza dough, cooked rice. But do yourself a favor: Label and date!

Liven up old greens

For spinach, chard, kale or collard greens that have seen better days — not rotting but maybe not perky: Boil in salted water for 1 minute, then place in a bowl of ice water. Squeeze like crazy to remove as much water as possible, then wrap and pack for the freezer.

Make the most of an avocado

For an avocado not looking its absolute greenest best, puree with a few tablespoons of sour cream or cottage cheese, plus a squeeze of lemon or lime, the heat of fresh chile pepper if you like, plus some salt. You’ll end up with a crema that you can pour over black beans, shrimp or even use as a salad dressing.

Maximize your lemons

Make those lemons work for you: Microwave a lemon for 10 seconds. (No microwave? Press down and roll on a counter for about 1 minute.) Before you slice in half, remove the zest with a microplane or box grater. Use in rice or tossed salads. Stir together with some chopped fresh parsley and a small amount of minced garlic for a fragrant garnish called gremolata, which peps up fish and meat at the table.

Save that stale bread

For bread that’s getting stale, make bread crumbs: Remove crusts and pulverize in a food processor. Store in the freezer. You can also do this with random hot dog or hamburger buns buried in the freezer. (Defrost, then place in a 300 F oven to toast. Cool, then pulverize.)

Green sauce

For the random leafy herbs in the vegetable crisper that you don’t know what to do with, make an ad hoc green sauce that zips up anything it comes in contact with — from roast potatoes and chicken to an old shoe (kidding, kind of). Trust me on this one; it’s the kitchen elixir that you never knew you needed.

Here’s what you do: Place 3 cups herbs (any combination of cilantro, parsley, mint, dill, washed and dried) in a food processor or stand blender. Add some garlic or finely chopped ginger root, maybe a little jalapeno chile pepper or 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Squeeze a lime or lemon into the mix. Season with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to start. Blend it all together. Start tasting. Does it seem thick? Add 1/4 cup more oil. Taste for salt and acid and reseason. Makes 3/4 cup or so.

Grow your own herbs

Speaking of herbs, grow your own! Pick your favorite herb or two and plant some seeds in a container, on the window sill or out in the yard. Herbs are expensive by the bunch, and you just snip what you need. Even for the most reticent of gardeners, herbs are easy to grow and gratifying to watch transform.