Meet Stella Burton – The Resourceful Cook
Following her homemade pickle success last week, she’s back to show us how she transforms her Food Works patron box into waste-free meals with a “Ready Steady Cook” mindset. Having recently returned to Sheffield after two years of global backpacking, Stella is on a mission to live sustainably and creatively.
3 Ways with Avocados
I’m now on my sixth patron box, and the Tuesday trip to Handsworth has become a weekly highlight. Each week I notice there’s an abundance of certain fruit or vegetables, so I’ve set myself a challenge. Take an abundant ingredient from the box and use it three ways – something new, something preserved, and a familiar favourite.
This week’s star was a bag of avocados at various stages of ripeness. I’ve seen so many thrown away once the brown spots appear, even though they’re still perfectly edible. But once they start to turn, it happens quickly. I read somewhere that the supply chain still hasn’t quite got the ripening process right, and it’s this that creates a lot of the waste.
With a bit of urgency, and using the ripest first, I made the following:
Something new – I blended them with a pear for sweetness (also from the box) and cocoa powder. The result? A rich, healthy chocolate mousse that completely disguised the ripening fruit. A big win in my book!
Something preserved – I took the firmer ones and tried a Middle Eastern technique I found in a cookbook – pickling them in a vinegar brine with garlic, peppercorns and coriander seeds. It creates a whole new texture that pairs beautifully with almost anything.
Something familiar – The remaining fruit was tossed with salad leaves from the Food Works nursery in Norton and a fresh mango for a classic summer salad. Finished with a drizzle of my slightly addictive ginger, mustard and tahini dressing.
Top tip: You can freeze avocados, but that was too easy for my weekly challenge – but it’s useful to know!
Resourceful As A Habit
Growing up, nothing was really wasted in our house. Often reminded of those going without if we left food on our plates. Then traveling through India and Kazakhstan taught me how naturally resourceful people are with food. Things are stretched and reused as a part of everyday life.
I don’t always get it right myself, but I find I’m thinking more about what is already in my kitchen rather than rushing to the shop. My patron box is a weekly reminder to look at what I have and find the potential – and a quick Google can find hundreds of recipes to try!
By Stella Burton
