What to do with leftovers: Jamie Oliver runs class at Woolworths Bella Vista

CELEBRITY chef Jamie Oliver on what to do with leftover food, and what he always has on hand in the kitchen.

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JAMIE Oliver has an uncanny ability to see the delicious potential in any of the shrivelled old scraps of food that many of us are guilty of throwing away.

The British celebrity chef used his recent trip to Australia to spread his passion for minimising food waste with a cooking class at Woolworths’ Bella Vista headquarters last week.

Clever tips and recipe ideas punctuate every step as he shows how to make kebabs with a shredded salad and pita bread using beef mince – one of the most often wasted ingredients.

Jamie Oliver cooking meat skewers at Woolworths Bella Vista.

“Turning big frumpy stuff into something beautiful – that is the joy of cooking,” Oliver says.

Breathing new life back into old fruit or vegetables can be as simple as cutting them up, Oliver says. “The minute you cut it different, it tastes different,” he says.

Oliver is a believer that many ways to reduce food waste – such as leaving your vegetables unpeeled – can have appetising results.

“I spent a whole career peeling before I realised the tastiest part of vegetables is in the skin,” he says.

Plenty of people turned up to watch the cooking class.

Jars of pickled vegetables made with ageing produce for stews and side dishes; a stash of dried breadcrumbs made from stale bread for salads and desserts; and vinegars flavoured with herbs and fruits are always on hand in Oliver’s kitchen.

He says his quick and easy meals with whatever is left in the fridge can be a simple stir-fry or a salad.

“I think anything with eggs is really good and you can turn it around in three or four minutes,” he says. “Things like little quesadillas (are) fantastic ... anything with fish cooks really quick.”

Oliver’s top tips

Carrots: roast them with a little olive oil, orange juice and fresh thyme leaves for a gorgeous side dish

Bread: thread bite-sized chunks onto skewers with veg or meat for easy kebabs

Cucumber: jazz up your water with cucumber slices and a handful of berries

Potato peelings: blanch briefly, toss with a little olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Bake until golden and crisp for a great snack

For more tips and tricks, go to jamieoliver.com