Questions tagged [culinary-uses]

Questions about the culinary uses of products that are normally discarded or used in non-culinary applications. DO NOT use for everyday ingredients, leftovers, etc - this is off topic.

This tag is used for questions about the culinary applications of edible items which:

  • Would be considered waste (e.g. stale bread or apple peel);
  • Are edible but primarily used for non-culinary applications (e.g. hops or lavender).
  • Are extremely rare and difficult to find recipes for (e.g. sumac). At a minimum, items in this category should be unavailable in typical supermarkets.

Questions about leftovers or common ingredients are not an appropriate use of this tag and will likely be closed as they are equivalent to recipe requests. When using this tag, please make sure the question fits one of the above criteria in order to avoid having it closed.

Tip for answerers: try to answer with classes of use (e.g. nutritional yeast is a flavor enhancer for soup, starter dough can be used for quickbreads) and also explain why the ingredient is effective in that class. Favorite recipes are not useful answers.

149 questions
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What is a "roux" and what are its uses?

I've had excellent Macaroni and Cheese that I was told was made with a "roux." What exactly is a roux, when is it used and what are the benefits of using it versus other cooking methods?
Oren Hizkiya
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What is chickpea flour used for?

I bought a bag of chickpea flour once thinking (erroneously) that I could use it to make hummus. I've since bought dried chickpeas and made hummus the "right" way... but now I have no idea what to do with my unopened bag of chickpea flour. What is…
keithjgrant
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What uses are there for basil flowers?

I have tons of basil in my herb spiral. However, this stuff is precious, and I always feel bad when I throw away the basil flowers when I make pesto sauce. Is there a way to use the basil flowers when cooking?
HerbSpiral
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Uses for stale bread?

Community wiki question. I'd like to compile an index of uses for stale bread. Here's a couple off the top of my head. Feel free to just go ahead and edit this list: As an ingredient Breadcrumbs, fresh or dried Breadcrumbs as coating or panade for…
Michael Natkin
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Are the leftovers from making stock good for anything?

Having made stock and strained it, can the meat and vegetables boiled up in the stock be used for anything, or should they go in the bin?
Sam Holder
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How should one go about reheating pasta?

Ok, so, I know the answer, "You shouldn't, because it's easy to make it fresh." But on occasion, I end up making too much pasta, not having enough sauce, etc. and the pasta gets stowed in a tupperware awaiting a secondcoming. Usually it just ends up…
TJ Ellis
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What are other uses for Vegemite or Marmite besides as a spread?

My Australian friend introduced toast with butter and vegemite to me. Recently I saw an episode of "Chopped" on the food network and one of the ingredients in the basket was Marmite. One of the chefs used it to flavor ground beef to make a burger…
milesmeow
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What is the best way to reheat leftover grilled fish?

I have rarely (if ever) looked forward to eating leftover grilled fish. What is the best technique to reheat the fish so that it has the best flavor and texture? I understand that some of the quality is going to be simply lost. If you have a…
Jonathan
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Can you eat the seeds of Tamarind if you roast them or boil them?

I just bought some fresh Tamarind & was told that I can eat the Tamarind seeds. Are they really edible? How would I prepare them if so?
user23420
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How can I reheat coffee without imparting bad flavor?

I have a carafe of coffee brewed today that is still mostly full, and I would like to serve it tomorrow. How can I reheat it without negatively impacting the flavor?
David LeBauer
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What can you do with leftover corn husks?

We made tamales today, and had a lot of corn husks left over. Any suggestions on how they can be used?
Mark Stewart
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What do you do with left over tomato paste?

I sometimes make sauces that use tomato paste. The problem is that usually I need only one or two tablespoons and I don't know what to do with the rest of the can. The smallest can I could find is 6 oz. and while it only costs 50 cents, I hate the…
None
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Culinary uses for lavender

I have some lavender bushes in the garden. They last well and smell wonderful. I have always considered lavender a herb, but can't think how it is used in cooking. If people have any good recipes for lavender I would love to know.
Jeremy French
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What is a good use for lots of fresh cilantro?

I have a few recipes I like to make which call for fresh cilantro, but when I buy it at the store it's usually in large bunches and I have a ton left over. What's a good use for the leftovers?
Nick Meyer
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What can I do with frozen eggs?

Although a previous question asks if raw eggs can be frozen, my eggs froze, in the shell, because the chicken coop into which they were delivered was very cold last week. I thawed the eggs, and they seem fine, except that the yolks are solid /…
David LeBauer
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