Years ago, I watched an interview with Wangari Maathai after she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work. Her words, in her beautiful Kenyan accent, still ring in my ears: “Do not waste things.”
With four small words, she summed up one big and hugely vital idea.
It’s my mantra in life, especially around the house. Junk mail becomes scratch pads. Rubber bands are used until they die. Ziploc bags (in the rare instance I use them) get washed and reused. Jam jars become containers for my homemade yogurt or pesto. Some of these are small things, but I firmly believe they add up. And if we all did them, our efforts would snowball and save vast stores of natural resources.
When an email appeared today from Seattle Neighborhood Farmers’ Markets with recipes for transforming what’s normally discarded as produce scraps, I was all over it, antsy to put the recipes to use and share them. (Pickling the watermelon rind is particularly interesting. I’ll try it and share the results in a future post.)
These are clever; check them out:
1. Chard stems: Cook with red wine, vinegar, sugar and salt for a sweet-and-sour relish.
2. Carrot tops: Purée with basil, Parmesan and pine nuts for pesto.
3. Fennel stalks and fronds: Chop finely and sauté with leeks for a delicate sauce for fish. (See recipe for trout fillets with sautéed fennel stalks and fronds.) Or boil in simple syrup and use to flavor lemonade.
4. Leeks: Finely chop the usually discarded dark green parts and stir-fry with ginger, garlic, fish sauce and tofu.
5. Asparagus stems: Save the tough ends in the freezer for stock.
6. Radish greens: Trim then toss in a buttermilk dressing with corn, thinly sliced radishes and tomatoes.
7. Apricot pits: Crack them open and find the kernel inside. Use to infuse cream with a subtle almond flavor.
8. Broccoli stalks and leaves: Trim and peel the stalks, then shave into a slaw with the tender leaves, a lemony dressing and feta.
9. Cauliflower stems: Roast the whole head with tomatoes, anchovies and garlic. (See recipe for whole pot-roasted cauliflower with tomatoes and anchovies.)
10. Watermelon rinds: Trim the dark green skin from the rinds, then pickle with lime juice, sugar, vinegar, salt and spices.
Find the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers’ Market website here.
Text and photo from The Wall Street Journal.
