A tasty way to be water-wise

In these dry days, it's a shame to throw away used water. Every morning, I empty my now cool hot water bottles (I use three: one under my neck, another on my tummy and one on my toes) onto the pots of dwarf tomatoes we have hanging on the deck.

My friend Flo has an even better way to use the unsalted water left over from steaming or boiling vegetables. She suggests you can cool it and use it to water potplants – how nutritious is that? I think the tomatoes would drink it up. Flo also suggests you can freeze the vegie flavoured water for use to make further dishes.

Her favourite way to use leftover potato water is in Vichyssoise or potato and leek soup. She also reserves the potato water for use in making a lighter version of mashed spuds by adding it with a dash of milk. For a flavour boost you can also use vegie water for boiling pasta, rice or frozen vegies and most dishes you’d use stock for like boiling pasta. Thanks for the flavoursome ideas, Flo. – Sage

PS Flo is based in Sydney NSW and comes from an aromatherapy and skincare angle and is into organic everything! She's dedicated to helping people create turnaround for unwanted skin conditions. Call for more details, 02 9417 7114.

Zucchini-flower spring omelette

It's spring, time to soak up the sunshine and cook up delicious spring produce when it's at its freshest. This week I snapped up some zucchini (courgette) flowers at my greengrocer (they were cheap, but I really must sow some zucchini seed between my nasturtiums, which keep the aphids at bay). To cook the flowers, I just splashed them with water, tossed them in flour, lightly fried them, then poured over a simple omelette mixture (beaten eggs, water, salt, pepper, and a dash of pimento sauce). Perfection. – Pru

PS The gorgeous ruby glass was a find at a second-hand charity stall: six for $3!

Chop, chop

Meat is pretty expensive, but there are cheaper cuts ... they just need more cooking. Now I know saturated fat isn't good for your arteries etc, but eating a piece of meat with fat on it is much more satisfying. The fat satiates your appetite and you eat less. That's my theory anyway.

When shopping for meat, look for what's on special, how fresh it looks and the expiry date (you can always freeze it). If you find something you like, delve deep in the fridge for the trays of colder (usually fresher) meat. Today I found lamb chops – four for $3.50. But how to cook them? I had to ring my mum. "Are they leg or loin chops?" she asked. I had no idea.

Apparently the leg chops have a round bone (obvious when you think about it) and the loin ones have thin, long bones. They were loin chops, so Mum said they'd need "a good hour" at about 180°C (350°F). I also wanted roast vegies, which take longer to cook, so into the pan went potatoes (scrubbed, cut into chunks) and carrots (scrubbed, halved lengthwise), with olive oil and salt (the key to crispiness!) for half an hour. I then added the chops and cooked the whole lot for an hour or so. A tasty and satisfying winter meal. – Pru

P.S. While the oven's hot, why not put in a cake to bake or a tasty rice pudding? Alternatively, turn off the oven and open the door to cosy-up your kitchen.

Mandarin syrup cake

You can't beat fruit in season and I've just been given 2kg of juicy, home-grown mandarins (aka clementines, satsuma or mikan)… thanks Pop! I’m in the mood for a bit of baking, so I'll use up six or so in a mandarin syrup-soaked cake. Yum.

Rather than an Italian-style syrup cake with almond meal (which I'll use once and leave to go stale in the cupboard...) here's a butter cake amped up with manda juice and zest to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit (go Iron Chef!) – Pru
Mandarin syrup cake
150 grams (5 ounces) butter, softened
3/4 cup* sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 teaspoons finely grated mandarin zest
1 1/2 cups standard plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons mandarin juice
1/2 cup milk, approx
Syrup
1/2 cup mandarin juice
1 teaspoon finely grated mandarin zest
3 tablespoons sugar

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, then add eggs one at a time and beat them in. Add the zest. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder (I never sift it) over the creamed mixture and fold in. Add the juice and enough milk to make the batter soft enough to spoon into a greased, deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes until light brown on top.

While the cake is cooking, gently heat the Syrup ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. After you take the cake out of the oven, spoon over the hot syrup. Leave cake in the tin to cool before cutting.

P.S. To get every last bit of mandarin zest, take a piece of plastic wrap and press it over the fine side of your grater. Grate the mandarin skin (avoid the bitter white pith), carefully lift off the plastic and scrape off the fine zest with the blade of a knife.

* I’ve used a standard Australian 250ml cup; if you’re in the US, use your usual cup measure and vary the amount of milk you add at the end to get the right consistency.