Fridge Cleanout : Chicken and Mushroom Pasta with Arctic Thyme (Vegan option)

In winter, it feels like our tastebuds are a bit frozen and sluggish, so the 2 of us need more intense flavours than we need in summer. Not necessarily spicier, but just more robust.

The food we ordered in last week from Norma & Vilma Caterers was fantastic, but the flavours in the Aji De Galina - chicken casserole - were a bit too mild for us in this weather.

I had ordered 2 plates of this, so I had quite a large quantity. I knew the flavours and texture would go very well with pasta.

Since I did not want to “mask” / “override” the original flavours, I just sautéed 3 cloves of garlic, and a mix of fresh Shiitake and oyster mushrooms with a smidgen of coarsely ground pepper, a large pinch of Arctic Thyme and 2 tsps sunflower seeds for crunch.

Put in about 20-30gms of cheese bits and ends lying in the fridge that were drying out and a soup cube dissolved in 1 cup of hot water.

Now added the chicken casserole to the pan and warmed it up gently.

When hot, I added 250 gms of cooked whole wheat pasta and gave it a quick stir. Sprinkled some arctic thyme that I think Aunty Sujata gifted me from her Iceland trip and served hot. So delicious.

For a veggie/vegan version, consider using a creamy mushroom soup or a sweet corn soup instead of a chicken casserole.

Using a tinned soup and adding some herbs and fresh veggies is a quick fix to making a pasta sauce.

Kim's Tips on Leftovers :

Sometimes when we order in from a new restaurant or a new cuisine, we may find that their balance of flavours doesn’t suit us.

My nana taught me her hard learned lessons in frugality. Never throw away anything that is usable / consumable, instead adjust, tinker, add flavour etc to suit yourself.

*Too salty, add boiled potatoes.

*Too spicy, add yoghurt / coconut milk depending on the base.

*Too plain, add herbs.

*Meat is too tender, turn into kebabs/ cutlets/samosa stuffing.

It’s not too difficult to tweak a cooked dish to give a completely new flavour profile at the next meal and #LoveYourLeftovers

We often have  leftover bits of cheese in the fridge that get dried out, before they are consumed or bits and ends that don't look pretty or don't fit in a sandwich. Pop all those bits and bobs into a pasta sauce for a bit more creaminess.