Repurposing Leftovers

A big part of this year's Pantry Challenge is just getting through random stuff in the freezer.  It's usually because I didn't get quantities right when I was cooking the original meal.  Other times, I went a little overboard and knew it, but that's how much you end up with when there's an egg in the recipe.  That sort of thing.  

Half the zaalouk was still there after Chanukah dinner.  I was using it as a sauce alongside the chicken, so not a surprise.  There was also more of it than I had expected.  I stuck it in the freezer, to figure out a purpose in January.

What I decided to do with it was use it as a curry starter.  It would have made an equally good pasta sauce.  There was an extra potato I never made into latkes, so in it went.  I increased the spices a bit to compensate for the dulling effect of potato.  In went a can of chickpeas for protein, a cup of heavy cream because it needed to be used, and some basmati to serve it on.

I believe in not wasting food.  It's important to preserve excess or make something new out of it.  The most expensive item at the grocery store is the one that is never eaten.  Also, this was a delicious, quick meal that stayed in my Mediterranean diet.  I have three months to clean up my a1C before my next physical.  Definitely went overboard on sugar during the holidays.