Mushroom Magic

I love it when I can make a dinner do double duty. By that I mean the leftovers of something delicious become something else, possibly even more delicious. I feel like a super domestic goddess, creating magical goodness with my cleverness.

You know what I mean.

It's cost effective, and time efficient, and we could all use a little more cash and a little more time.

So, my latest stroke of brilliance was Mushroom Ragu.  I only made it because there were a bunch of different mushroom punnets reduced at the supermarket and I just can't walk past that. So I made my ragu (saute a bunch of mushrooms with onions and garlic, perhaps a little wine, a little stock, add a knob of butter at the end) and served it with soft polenta.

The Ragu, looking all yummy and steamy

The leftover polenta was poured into a lamington tin and flattened down with wet hands so it was all nice and smooth. (I'll get back to that later.)

The mushroom ragu leftovers sat in the fridge for a couple of days... the flavours developing (and I kinda got sidetracked.) Then I whizzed up the mix with a little melted butter, divided it into a couple of jars and poured more melted butter over the top. No, this is not every day food.

Voila. Mushroom Pate.

O.k, so I made this jar pretty for you guys

Just in time for Nibblies night.

Oh, and the polenta? Cut into chips, coated in some uncooked polenta and baked in the oven (When we have an extractor in the kitchen I'm gonna fry them!) and served a couple of days later with sausages.

I gave myself a high five.

Twice.

What do you do with your leftovers?

MC