Bread

Leftover	Idea & ingredients	recipe
Bread	Breadcrumbs – a multitude of uses.  Blitz bread, with or without the crusts depending on taste or how crusty the bread is, and freeze in bags.  Don’t squish the air out of the bag – the breadcrumbs need to freeze as loosely as possible so that you can just get out what you need and leave the rest frozen.
Bread	Croutons Sliced bread makes lovely little cubes for soup and salads; baguettes and bread rolls can be cut into large chunks for rustic salads. INGREDIENTS Bread Oil Salt METHOD Cut the bread into the required size removing the crusts if required. Put a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle or grind over a little salt. Tips Do use a timer when baking the croutons – by the time you can smell them cooking they’re probably overdone! If the croutons are for a strong flavoured salad then a good olive or rapeseed oil is lovely; if the croutons are for a delicate soup or salad use a less flavourful vegetable or sunflower oil. Can be stored for a good few days in an airtight container (put a bit of kitchen roll on the bottom) and then just perk up by warming in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
Bread	Croutes Just a few slices of b read go a long way. INGREDIENTS Bread Oil METHOD Put bread slices/shapes on baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with oil. Bake at 180C/350F for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp (you don’t want any moisture left in the bread). Tips Slice baguette on an angle to make a nice large croute for topping and re-baking for a great salad or starter. Sliced bread can be cut into squares or stamped out in shapes for canapés. whether larger slices of baguette for topping with something tasty for a starter or salad, or dainty shapes for canapés Do use a timer when baking the croutes – by the time you can smell them cooking they’re probably overdone! If the croutes are for a strong flavoured salad then a good olive or rapeseed oil is lovely; if they are for a canapés use a less flavourful vegetable or sunflower oil. Can be stored for a good few days in an airtight container (put a bit of kitchen roll on the bottom) and then just perk up by warming in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
Bread	Croutes for dips and canapés Perfect for dips and mezze. INGREDIENTS Sliced white bread Oil METHOD Remove crusts from bread and cut into long triangles – see diagram. Put bread slices/shapes on baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with oil. Bake at 180C/350F for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp (you don’t want any moisture left in the bread). Tip Can be stored for a good few days in an airtight container (put a bit of kitchen roll on the bottom) and then just perk up by warming in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
Bread	Melba toast All very ‘70s but we love it. INGREDIENTS Sliced, white bread METHOD Toast your bread in the toaster. When cooled slightly, cut off the crusts then carefully, with a thin bladed knife, slice the top of the toast off the bottom. Scrape/pick off any doughy bits from the cut sides. Put in a large roasting tin and dry in the oven (350F/180C) until crisp. Store in an airtight container.
Bread	Pan con tomate A Spanish classic and, whilst best with a dense, country style loaf, it can be made with pretty much any leftover bread. INGREDIENTS Slices of bread Ripe tomatoes cut in half horizontally Clove of garlic, peeled and top cut off METHOD Toast the bread. Rub with cut side of the garlic over the toast.  The roughness of the toast will act as a grater. Rub with the tomato. Tip  A great little nibble with wine or a cold beer.
Bread	Little apple puddings – serves 4 A great recipe and so easy! INGREDIENTS 50g honey 2 tablespoons double cream 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice 75g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 apples, washed and cut into thick-ish slices Crème fraiche or custard to serve 4 x 150ml ramekins METHOD Put the butter, honey and cream in a saucepan and heat until the butter is melted. Put the sugar, spice and breadcrumbs into a bowl and stir well. Divide half the buttery fudge mixture between the ramekins and top with a layer of apple slices and half the breadcrumb mixture. Add another layer of apples and top with the remaining breadcrumbs. Spoon over the remaining sauce. Put on a baking sheet or in a roasting tin and cook in a preheated over 200C/400F for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving and dust with icing sugar. Tip Also good with plums, apricots or banana.
Bread	Summer pudding This recipe is made with bags of frozen summer berries but it’s also fantastic for using up excess soft fruit. INGREDIENTS Approx ½ loaf of stale white bread, sliced and crusts removed 2 bags frozen berry fruits, defrosted Ribena type blackcurrant drink Sugar to taste METHOD Put the fruits plus all of the juices and a slug of Ribena in a saucepan.  Slowly bring the fruit to simmering and cook for 1 minute..  Taste and add sugar if necessary - stir gently to dissolve. Drain fruit and keep juices. Line a 1 litre/2 pint pudding bowl with clingfilm.  Take enough bread to line the bowl and cut in half but slightly on the angle to create pieces slightly longer one end than the other. Take an uncut slice of bread, dip in the fruit juice and push into the bottom of the basin.  One by one, take the irregular cut pieces, dip in the juice and arrange around the base piece creating a bowl of bread.  Pop the fruit in the bowl, dip some more uncut bread in the juice and put on top of the fruit.  Kee any leftover juices. Gently fold the clingfilm over the pudding, put a sauce on top and weight down (either with scale weights of a couple of heavy tin of something from your store cupboard)..  Chill for a good 6 hours but better overnight. To serve, unfold the clingfilm from the pudding and turn out onto a serving dish..  Remove clingfilm and spoon over any remaining juices.  Serve with some fresh fruit berries and soft whipped cream.
Bread	Apricot charlotte – serves 4. A great family recipe INGREDIENTS 1 tin of apricots in light syrup 75g fresh bread crumbs 50g butter 50g Demerara sugar 1 heaped teaspoon custard powder Lightly whipped double cream for serving METHOD Drain the apricots and reserve the syrup. Melt the butter and add the sugar and breadcrumbs.  Mix well. Butter an ovenproof dish and layer up the breadcrumbs and apricots finishing with a layer of breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated oven – 180C/350F – for 30 minutes. Meanwhile make the sauce.  In a small saucepan boil the syrup from the apricots.  Mix the custard powder with a little cold water and add to the boil syrup stirring well.  Bring back to the boil. Serve with hot sauce and a dollop of whipped cream. Tips Posh it up by making in little ramekins. Can be made with margarine if you want to go dairy-free
Bread	Pain perdu - French classic (sweet eggy bread) INGREDIENTS Basic egg mixture for about 2-3 slices of bread: 1 egg 25g caster sugar 50ml milk Butter for frying Drop of vanilla essence METHOD Mix together the sugar and egg to start dissolving the sugar.  Add the milk and vanilla essence plus your choice of flavouring and pour into a shallow dish. Remove the crusts from the bread (unless using French bread, then leave it on) and soak the bread in the egg mixture.  Turn the bread over so each side is covered and the bread really good and eggy. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bread for 4-5 minutes on each side, dust with icing sugar and serve. Tip Suggested optional flavourings:  Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Mixed spice. Splash of brandy. Splash of fruit liqueur. Pain perdu is perfect anytime and is great piled high with berries or coked fruit. Alternatively, forget the sugar in the egg mixture and serve for breakfast with crisp bacon and maple syrup.
Bread	Bread pudding A British classic. INGREDIENTS ½ a standard loaf of sliced bread 1lb dried fruit – either mixed, raisins, sultanas or bit of each 1 tablespoon of mixed spice or ½ tablespoon of cinnamon 125g sugar - preferably light, soft brown or caster Zest of an orange or lemon (optional) 500ml milk 2 medium eggs 100g butter, melted Demerara sugar for sprinkling METHOD Tear the bread into pieces and mix together all the other dry ingredients, plus the zest if using. Beat together the milk and eggs and pour over the dry ingredients.  Mix well – get stuck in with your hands.. Add the melted butter and mix again. Line a 23cm square (9”) or 25cm (10”) round tin with baking paper. Pour the bread mixture in, sprinkle with the Demerara and bake at 180C/350F for 1¼ hours until firm to the touch and golden in colour. Perfect served warm with thick cream or custard. Tips If the pudding is colouring too much on the top before being properly cooked, cover with a piece of kitchen foil. No need to take too much time with lining the tin.  Just cut of piece of baking paper/parchment (NOT greaseproof) big enough to cover the base and sides of the tin, push the paper into the base and press it up against the insides.
Bread	Bread and butter pudding – serves 1 Lovely and light, just scale up quantities depending on how much bread you have. INGREDIENTS 2 slices of French bread or 1½ slices of thick white bread 15g sugar 1 egg 40ml cream 40ml milk Butter 25g dried fruit METHOD Spread the bread generously with butter (cutting the whole slice(s) in half, if using). Layer with the fruit in a small pie dish that has been buttered. Mix together the cream, milk, egg and ½ the sugar and pour over the bread. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and bake for about minutes at 375F/190C. Tip Lovely served with fruit compote or coulis.
Bread	Savoury crumb for chicken or fish So very versatile. INGREDIENTS 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast or fish fillet per person Handful of breadcrumbs per person 25g pumpkin or mixed seeds chopped Mayonnaise Seasonings/flavourings METHOD Put the (seasoned) crumb on a plate and mix withthe seeds Pat the fish/meat dry and put in a bowl with enough (seasoned) mayonnaise to coat.  Mix to make sure each piece of fish/meat is covered with mayo. Take a piece of the fish/meat and place on the crumb.  Turn fish/meat over patting on more crumb so the fish/meat is well covered.  Put on a baking tray.  Repeat…. For a chicken breast, bake at 190C/375F for 25-30 minutes. Bake fish at 200C/400F for 10-15 minutes depending on size. Tips This is a really quick and incredibly easy way of adding texture, colour and flavour to chicken and fish.  The mayo can be seasoned with spices, sauces or curry paste (excellent with a tasty curry paste, surprisingly good with a bit of brown sauce!); add parmesan cheese or herbs to the crumb or the mayo; mayo is eggs and oil - the eggs stick the crumb on and the oil makes it crispy - how perfect!
Bread	garlic toast for salads this is rustic rip up stale french or uncut bread into chunks. put onto a baking sheet and drizzle generously with goofd olive oil. bake for 5 minutes at 375F/190C or until golden brown. sprink with garlic granules and salt whislt still hot. you can use immediately or allow to cool. store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks and wamr through just before using. garlic granules really work here so don't think they are 2nd best!