Fun with Leftovers: Sausage, Tomatoes and Mozz

by Jennifer Hess on September 26, 2007

Dinner: September 25, 2007

While this dish helped me to use up three party leftovers (3/4 lb. chicken and red pepper sausage, a pint of cherry tomatoes and a pint of fresh mozzarella bocconcini), I wasn’t entirely pleased with the end result. I mixed these ingredients into a bread pudding, made with cubes of ciabatta and my basic custard recipe, but the end result was a little bland. I definitely under-salted the dish, and while the addition of a handful of shredded fresh basil leaves in the custard was nice, it needed a little more oomph – perhaps a stronger herb or some red chile flakes would have done the trick. Still, this wasn’t a bad meal – it was easy and filling, and it helped me clear some space in the fridge for other things.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1

anita 09.26.07 at 11:06 am

I saw this on Flickr before I got to the post in my RSS reader, and even the thumbnail made me drool :) Maybe rosemary or thyme? Basil, to me, seems to disappear when it’s heated. I made a savory bread pudding last year that had sauteed onions in it, in addition to thyme, parsley, and rosemary; it’s on the blog, if you’re looking for ways to tinker with your basic idea.

I’m going to visit my mom for 2 weeks, and this sounds like the kind of thing that would be tasty even with Whole Foods stuff — no farmers markets in southern Nevada, I’m afraid.

2

alec 09.26.07 at 1:28 pm

I know it fell in the close but no cigar category, but it looks great. And I have the utmost respect for cooks who create from the randomness of the fridge. Bravo!

3

Hillary 09.26.07 at 6:29 pm

Ooh, killing THREE birds with one stone. Nice job. Looks great!

Thanks for getting back to me about the meme (as well as emailing me your MM answer!) - I’m excited for your answers :)

4

jennifer 09.27.07 at 1:00 pm

I’m glad your party was a success!

Thanks for the reminder that, along with risotto, pasta, and stir-fries, bread pudding is an awesome vehicle for leftovers. Nicely done.

5

Jennifer Hess 09.28.07 at 9:46 am

Thanks, everyone!

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