What can be done with food scraps? 4 delicious recipes

Tadas Aleknavičius, director of development of bread products “Gardėsis”, says that during this festive period, Lithuanians more often chose light bread: they bought it in larger and larger packages. Therefore, it is likely that we still find light bread scraps in many houses to this day.

However, the expert asks not to throw them away: light bread can easily be resurrected to a second life, as well as serving perfectly as a base for other food scraps.

1. American classic: fried ham and cheese sandwich

Fried cheese sandwich Melted cheese sandwich) – has been repeatedly named America’s most popular sandwich. And most importantly, firm, dry bread that you did not have time to eat at the festive table is perfect for this dish.

“If you choose a bit harder instead of fresh bread, your sandwich will be extremely crispy. It will absorb the flavors of butter and cheese and will be perfectly round, and while it is warm, it will remain soft on the inside. When baking such a sandwich, avoid thick slices of bread as they will retain heat and prevent the cheese from melting evenly. Also, avoid slices with large holes, as the cheese will just seep through them, ”says T. Aleknavičius.

2. Crispy bacon and fried bri cheese with caramelized onions

For an enhanced fried cheese sandwich, add it to the expressive flavors of bri cheese and caramelized onions. However, when choosing accessories, pay attention to their moisture content.
“One of the main secrets of a perfectly baked sandwich is humidity control, because it’s easy to overdo it. If you want to add water-rich vegetables, such as tomatoes, to a fried sandwich, you must pre-fry them, thus evaporating some of the moisture. Otherwise, the hot vegetables in the sandwich will release all their liquids and the sandwich will be soggy and uncooked. Therefore, it is better to choose onions and mushrooms, after which most of the moisture evaporates, ”says T. Aleknavičius.

3. Beet and goat cheese sandwich

It is said that Smørrebrød, the most popular open sandwich in Scandinavia, was born as a way to “get rid” of food scraps. For leftover herring, smoked fish or meat, potatoes, eggs, or pickled vegetables, this sandwich is a great canvas for experiments. It also usually contains beetroot salads (rödbetssallad), which are very popular in the Nordic countries and have a deep tradition on the Scandinavian Christmas table. So give this sandwich a try if you still have leftover beets at home.

4. Smoked mackerel sandwich

The Turks call similar sandwiches fish and bread and savor them with fresh fish and fresh fish. The most famous Turkish chef Mehmet Gürs spreads a creamy fried garlic puree on toast and finishes it all with smoked mackerel and slices of red onions and tomatoes. Try the Lithuanian version of this sandwich with the leftover white mix.