Green your greens,
The Waste Not Want Not Cookbook joins a worthy trend toward kitchen sustainability, offering tips for greener greens and beyond. First up: asparagus that’s aces
When Second Harvest opened 30 years ago in Toronto, the idea of a food recovery program was revolutionary. Soon there were similar organizations in other Canadian cities — either stand-alone or associated with a food bank. Toronto Taste, where top chefs are enlisted to serve their signature dish, was initially started to increase awareness of food waste and rescue. Now it is the biggest chef event of the year and a huge part of Second Harvest’s fundraising. Other cities have similar events. To date, Second Harvest has collected more than 100 million pounds of food that would have otherwise been wasted.
Internationally acclaimed chefs have started using their celebrity to bring attention to this cause. Dan Barber, the co-owner and executive chef of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and author of The Third Plate, held a threeweek pop-up restaurant called wastED where guest chefs helped him create delicious meals made with wasted ingredients from restaurant kitchens.
Another example is Massimo Bottura, the renegade Italian chef who made waves in Modena updating traditional Italian food, and author of Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef, started a food rescue program that was even endorsed by the Pope. He is turning the leftover food from Expo Milano 2015 into dinners for the under-privileged. Bottura, whose Osteria Francescana in Modena now has three Michelin stars and ranks third on the World’s 100 Best Restaurant list, has a lineup of super-star chefs from around the world volunteering to help.
We can do our part at home, too. The Waste Not Want Not Cookbook is a timely new book from food journalist Cinda Chavich. Chavich coaches us on how to have a sustainable kitchen and talks about composting, best before dates and recommendations for keeping a food waste diary. She also suggests having a shelf in the fridge for food to use first.
Here are some tips from The Waste Not Want Not Cookbook about asparagus that is in season now, with a recipe to practice with below. Buying Tips should be tightly closed and stalks should be shiny not shrivelled. Storing Break off tough ends. Stand spears in an inch of water in a jar and refrigerate up to 3 days. Grilling Brush spears with olive oil and grill over high heat until they start to char. Sprinkle with sea salt or balsamic vinegar. Recipe Ideas Wrap a thin slice of prosciutto around lightly cooked asparagus. Serve cold or grill just long enough to crisp the prosciutto and heat the asparagus. Leftovers Cut cooked asparagus and fold into scrambled eggs with cheese.