All of the taste... none of the waste: Concluding his inspirational series, HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL shares his deliciously healthy veggie recipes...using every last morsel

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A splash of vinegar, a shake of spice, a bit of fiery chopped chilli and it’s quite possible to turn even the least prepossessing veggies into dishes that will delight.

Think, for example, of a nubbly broccoli stem, often discarded in favour of its fine florets. You can peel, pare and pamper it into a sophisticated little salad, or make a subtle stem soup.

Meanwhile, leftover mash has myriad uses: in potato cakes, for instance, or as the topping for various pies, shepherd’s and otherwise. Roasted roots add both flavour and heft to leftovers dishes. And their humble peelings can be spun into surprisingly delicious soups or posh crisps.

Today, in the next part of our Love Your Leftovers series, we look at vegetarian dishes that mean you’ll never have to go rooting about for inspiration again. And don’t miss my recipes for delicious puddings tomorrow . . .

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (pictured) shared a selection of healthy recipes that can be made using leftovers

Make bread from beer and cider 

• Butter or oil, for greasing
• 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 250g wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp light brown sugar or honey
• Dash of rapeseed or olive oil
• 300ml buttermilk or thin yoghurt 
• 200ml beer or cider

Hugh revealed bread can be made using beer and cider, by combining them with a selection of ingredients to make a dough 

Preheat the oven 220c/fan 200c/gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet and dust with a little flour.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle and quickly stir in the oil, buttermilk or yoghurt and beer or cider with a knife, working just enough to bring the dough together into a rough ball. It should be quite soft, but not too sticky.

With floured hands, turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead very briefly — just enough to bring it together into a rough round shape, about 7cm high.

Transfer to a baking sheet, sprinkle generously with flour and use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross in the middle of the loaf. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 and bake the loaf for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

This bread is best eaten warm, with plenty of butter, but is also good toasted the next day.

Stem soup

Hugh suggests using cauliflower and broccoli stems for a delicious vegetable soup

Cauliflower and/or broccoli stems make a surprisingly delicate and delicious soup.

Serves 4

• 20g butter, or 20ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped
• 500g–600g broccoli stems, cauliflower stems and leaves and/or cabbage stalks and outer leaves, roughly chopped
• 1.2 litres chicken or veg stock or water
• 50g creme fraiche, plus extra to serve (optional)
• Salt and ground black or white pepper
• Extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil, to finish

Gently melt the butter or heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onion, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Fry until the onion is soft and transparent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a minute. 

Then add the stems and fry gently for a few minutes. Tip the stock or water into the pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the veg stems are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then add the creme fraiche. Blitz the soup in a blender until smooth. 

Return to the heat, season to taste and warm gently, without letting it boil. Serve the soup in warmed bowls, topped with a trickle of extra virgin oil , a little creme fraiche and a generous grinding of pepper.

‘Arancini’ patties

Hugh revealed 'arancini' patties can be made using leftover risotto and cheese

Leftover risotto transforms into these exquisite Italian-style fried rice balls. They’re good plain, with cheese worked into them, or with scraps of leftover meat or veg. Authentic arancini are deep-fried and have a centre of molten mozzarella, but these simple patties are quick to assemble and easy to shallow-fry.

Makes about 6

• 250g-350g cooked risotto, cold
• 50g-70g Parmesan or other hard cheese, grated (you could also go for scraps of cooked meat or fish, torn or chopped)
• Any cooked veg, such as peas, courgettes and/or mushrooms, chopped small
• Parsley, dill, lovage and/or chives, chopped (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten, to bind (if needed)

For the coating

• Plain flour, for dusting
• 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)
• Couple of handfuls of fine breadcrumbs (optional)
• Sunflower oil, for frying

Tip the cold risotto into a bowl and stir in the cheese, any extra scraps of cooked meat, fish or veg, and chopped herbs. Season.

Mix everything well. It should be sticky enough to hold together, but add a little beaten egg to bind if needed.

Roll the mixture into walnut or golf ball-sized pieces, then flatten lightly to form plump patties. Dust with flour. For a crispy coating, dip the balls in beaten egg, then fine breadcrumbs, but just flouring is fine, too.

Heat about a 1cm depth of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Shallow-fry the arancini patties in batches, gently, until golden brown on the outside and piping hot in the centre. Serve immediately.

Fluffy potato cakes

Hugh suggests making fluffy potato cakes as a scrumptious cooked breakfast or brunch

These crisp and fluffy beauties are terrific for a cooked breakfast or brunch. Alternatively, you can use them as a vehicle for even more leftovers, stirring cooked vegetables, herbs, cheese and/or extra seasonings into the basic mixture.

Serves about 4

• 300g–500g mashed potato or well-crushed roast potatoes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1-2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1-2 tbsp whole milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Rapeseed or sunflower oil, for frying

In a bowl, mix together the potato, egg, flour and milk — the amount of flour and milk you need will depend on the amount of mash that you have to hand.

It needs to be a fairly thick dough, so you may not need any milk at all, especially if the mash is quite soft to start with.

Season the mixture well with salt and pepper and stir in any extra ingredients that you would like to add, such as cheese or leftover veg. Using lightly floured hands, form the mixture into potato cakes, about 2cm thick and 7cm in diameter.

You’ll need to cook the potato cakes in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Heat a thin film of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 3 or 4 cakes and fry for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until they’re crisp and golden brown. Drain them on kitchen paper and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest. They’re delicious with your favourite fried breakfast ingredients.

Rice veggie burgers 

Hugh revealed rice veggie burgers can be made using any chopped vegetables and pulses

Tasty and easy to make, you can also customise these burgers, adding pretty much whatever chopped veg and pulses you have lying around.

Makes 2 large or 4 small burgers 

• 50g cooked pulses, such as borlotti beans, chickpeas and/ or lentils, well drained
• 200g-250g cooked rice, cold
• 1 shallot, finely diced, or 2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp-½ tsp cayenne pepper
• Any leftover roasted,steamed or boiled root veg, including potatoes, diced small
• Handful or two of cooked peas
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Vegetable oil or rapeseed oil, for frying to serve (optional)
• Burger buns
• Cheese, sliced
• Lettuce, cucumber and/or tomato slices
• Mayonnaise, mustard and/or ketchup
• Pickle

Put the pulses into a bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Add the rice, shallot, garlic, parsley and cayenne and fork everything together. Stir in the vegetables, season well, and then mix in the beaten eggs. Put to one side for 15 minutes or so, to allow the flavours to blend.

Heat a 1mm-2mm layer of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Drop 2 ladlefuls of the ricey batter into the pan for large burgers, or 4 large spoonfuls for smaller ones, and coax them into neatish circular shapes with a spatula.

Turn the heat down slightly and fry for about 5 minutes (they’re ready to flip when they hold together easily when you try to turn them). Flip them, then fry the other side for 5 to 6 minutes until they are piping hot and crispy. Fix your burgers as you like them.

Lentil and leftover vegetable curry 

Hugh suggests using any leftover greens, cauliflower florets and peas for a satisfying midweek vegetable curry

This curry makes a very satisfying midweek dinner, and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. It works well with leftover roast parsnips, but roast spuds, carrots and onions can also be added at the start. If you want to use greens, peas, or cauliflower, these should go in at the end.

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp curry paste
• 100g red lentils, well rinsed
• 200g-300g roast parsnips (or spuds or carrots) in chunks
• 700ml chicken or vegetable stock
• Any leftover greens, peas, cauliflower florets, etc.
• Handful coriander, stalks removed, coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve
• 60g cashew nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• Raita, rice and/or naan bread, to serve

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry until golden, about 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and curry paste and stir for a minute or two. Toss in the lentils and roast parsnips and/or other roasted roots and stir for a minute. 

Pour in the stock and simmer until the lentils start to break down, this should take about 15 minutes. Then throw in any leftover greens, peas, cauliflower or other veg and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until piping hot. 

Serve with the cashews and extra coriander scattered over the top, and a bowl of raita on the side, if you like. Accompany with rice and/or naan. 

Recipes from River Cottage Love Your Leftovers: Recipes For The Resourceful Cook by Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall, published by Bloomsbury at £20. To order a copy for £14, visit bloomsbury.com © Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 2015. Photographs © Simon Wheeler.